Re: [Fwd: Desktop normalization]

[Hugo van der Kooij <hvdkooij@caiw.nl>]

On Tue, 24 Nov 1998, imrana wrote:

> >But not all linux installs will use desktops so why make them part of
> >the standard-base? If you were creating a standard base for an end-user
> >system your argument would make sense, but take into consideration that
> >there are alot of servers, enbeded systems, etc. that don't use a
> >desktop (or even want one).
> 
> At this point I agree with you.
> Desktop should not be the part of Linux-Standard-Base.
> Many people use Linux as servers and they do not want any desktop at all.
>  
> However this does not mean "No desktop standard is required". 
> It IS required.
> 
> And it IS no less important than LSB.
> 
> In fact it may be more important than any other issue.
> 
> >Desktops are up to the distributors, they are not part of the standard.
> 
> Here, I completely disagree.
> There should be standard to stop desktop chaos.
> Remember the objective of Open Software:
> 
> "To eliminate redundant work."
> 
> Can you confidently say that's what currently happening on desktop?
> Surely you can't.
> 
> I believe that a standard (other than LSB. Let's call it XSB) will reduce
> the unnecessary effort put on the desktop game.

Well. Reading through the various desktop/window managers documentation
makes one wonder wether this will hold ground. Most actually just started
because they thought they could be better or just plain different. There
is now way a standard will stop this. It will propably even enhance it.

I guess motif is a long term 'de facto' standard for most commercial
writers. If we can move them to lesstif we will gain some without paying a
high price for motif licensing. Either directly or indirectly.

I don't think we can get better as that at present without frighting the
majority foor choosing something they just don't like.

Hugo.

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