Distribution name and version

[Seva <seva@null.cc.uic.edu>]

Is there any reason why a package whould need to know exact distribution
name and version? Something like RHS's /etc/redhat-release?

If yes, one suggestion is /etc/dist-release, or /etc/distrib-release (where
distrib is literaly 'distrib' not name of the distribution), with some sort
of standard format...

Or make an extension for uname, let's say to the current list of:

  -r, --release    print the operating system release
  -s, --sysname    print the operating system name

add:

  -R, --RELEASE    print the distribution system release
  -S, --SYSNAME    print the distribution system name

which could just read it from /etc/dist-release

/Simon Epsteyn