RELEASED Python 2.3.4, release candidate 1

[Hornberger, Chris]

>
>I wonder why the Linux installation needs to be more tedious than the
>Windows counterpart. The problem is of course not specific to Python.
>There are many Linux distributions, running on different kernels, but
>maybe binaries that have been tested on the "major" distributions like
>Debian, Red Hat / Fedora, SUSE, and Mandrake could be created. Compare
>the instructions:
>

Welcome to an open platform. It all boils down to money and what the "open source movement" is really about. On the money front, no organization is going to step up and try to implement standards if there's no revenue in it. Period. And rightly so. Take RedHat for instance. You can download their distribution for free. But they charge for burned media, distribution of said media and for support. All rightly so. Now, imagine the headaches and woe if, say, RedHat were to step up and introduce a Linux Standardized Platform Specification, granting "Designed for RedHat" certifications to vendors, issuing mandates on standardized directory trees, version coupling, dependency mandates, and all the other fun stuff we all deal with running our linux systems. It'd last all of about 3 days.

Personally, I'd love it. As an APPLICATION developer, and not a SYSTEMS developer, the last thing I want to worry about when writing business software or even tinkering around with my own stuff, is which dotted version of some GLIBC file I have. Oh, I have .4, I need .6 pffffffffffft. There are those among us who thrive on that. Me? I just wanna use my computer and write my software. Period.

Not to mention, the minute ANY "standards body" starts using words like "mandate" and "control", the Open Source movement will erupt into (more) religious wars and the whole "bill gates, the antichrist" crap will rise (again).

*rolls eyes*

I just wanna write software.

Really.

--------------------------
Chris Hornberger
Blackrock - 302.797.2318
chris.hornberger at blackrock.com

Card carrying MSDN member since 2004.
No, really. I've got the card to prove it.