Linux as a platform is the equivalent of asking random volunteers to build a city, not telling them exactly how you want it built, and then hiring contractors t

Linux as a platform is the equivalent of asking random volunteers to build a city, not telling them exactly how you want it built, and then hiring contractors to take what has been built and make it work for the majority of people. It's organized chaos. I think the author is wrong that you need to enforce specific ways of doing everything, or that we need to even think about standards. The only thing you really need to enforce is a culture, which becomes an unofficial, de facto standard. I think Windows is a good example of this. Windows doesn't force you to do everything its way - it's just way, way more convenient. Linux makes it too convenient to do something different, so everyone does. I think the solution for a distribution is the following: 1. remove all unnecessary software 2. remove all methods to easily install new software automatically (reserve that function only for updating existing software) 3. make all base software follow a set of guidelines which are incredibly convenient to adapt and follow by new applications The result would be a culture of convenience that would enable more compatibility by simply making it easier for everyone to do the same thing. My apologies if the author proposed this very thing; it was too long and I didn't read it all.