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Might be a GNU ploy, but the more likely explanation is that compatibility requires extra work and effort. Just think about how often libpng broke compatibility

Might be a GNU ploy, but the more likely explanation is that compatibility requires extra work and effort. Just think about how often libpng broke compatibility. Some libraries are so bad about this (like libpng) that even rolling release distros like Arch have to package multiple versions. No one is willing to put in the effort on Linux to make deployment of software easier. And from the PoV of the distros there is nothing to fix anyway. Windows has invented and largely fixed the DLL hell. Linux only managed to copy the problem. It’s great that the kernel is taking it so seriously, but everything else doesn’t care and constantly breaks compat.

PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago
Linux has not copied the DLL hell problem. If you think that, you don't understand what DLL hell was. I assume that by deployment of software, you mean "someone other a distro maintainer building and packaging software". That's no harder on Linux than it is on Windows or macOS (*) , it's just that Linux users have the additional option to get software from their distro too. macOS: you put everything your app needs into ... well, a folder (with some required filenames and organization) windows: you put everything your app needs into ... a folder (with some required filenames and organization) linux: you put everything you app needs into ... a folder. Full integration into "the desktop" needs a few additional steps, easily carried out by an install process. What is missing on Linux is a nice, clean, commonplace way for users to actually carry out the installation process for 3rd party (ISV) software that isn't packaged using the distro packaging system. (*) other than issues with certain, ahem, toolkits that make it hard or impossible to statically link against them (and note: these are typically cross-platform toolkits, ironically).

PaulDavisThe1st 6y ago

Linux has not copied the DLL hell problem. If you think that, you don't understand what DLL hell was. I assume that by deployment of software, you mean "someone other a distro maintainer building and packaging software". That's no harder on Linux than it is on Windows or macOS (*) , it's just that Linux users have the additional option to get software from their distro too. macOS: you put everything your app needs into ... well, a folder (with some required filenames and organization) windows: you put everything your app needs into ... a folder (with some required filenames and organization) linux: you put everything you app needs into ... a folder. Full integration into "the desktop" needs a few additional steps, easily carried out by an install process. What is missing on Linux is a nice, clean, commonplace way for users to actually carry out the installation process for 3rd party (ISV) software that isn't packaged using the distro packaging system. (*) other than issues with certain, ahem, toolkits that make it hard or impossible to statically link against them (and note: these are typically cross-platform toolkits, ironically).