I'm a Linux newbie, so forgive if this is a stupid question. :D
Aren't all the various distributions of Linux running off of the same kernel? If so, why doesn't software written for Linux work on all distributions? (For instance, when I go to download Skype for Linux, it has different files for all the different distros.)
Does this have something to do with the dreaded "tarball"? Is the tarball the version which works on any distribution?
2006-11-08 16:29:27 · 4 answers · asked by GreetingsEarthling 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Software
There are a number of answers to that- the kernel is the same, yes, but it has bugs, just like any OS. Each distro looks at things a different way, so some come across bugs others don't. Instead of reporting those bugs and getting the kernel fixed and put into circulation without that bug, many distros just fix it in their own distro without saying anything. Multiply those tiny differences by the number of distros and the number of versions of each distro, and compatibility problems can occur, particularly with the compilers, which is where the tarball comes in -it is the source code, which must be compiled to run. There is also the KDE vs. Gnome desktop schism- they both run different programs as well. That is the inherent problem with open source- if everybody can change it, they will, and they don't always say what they changed, or why.
You will find the Linux community to be a lot nicer than the Windows folks- Linux is an ideology, not just a product, particularly Ubuntu. Keep asking questions.
2006-11-08 16:50:34 · answer #1 · answered by Theophidian 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i exploit somewhat torrent customer to receive all the Linux distros i favor to attempt, then i can burn a stay cd from the problematical disk information. What you're discussing I look to bear in mind replaced right into a pup installer to the USB flash force. you may want to get quite a few variations of pup to load to the flash force and utilizing the flash force it would want to load the Linux distro into your memory, yet not installation it replaced right into a purely very quickly solution to run a a stay CD.
2016-11-28 22:53:57 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No - that is the point. Different distros use different kernels, as well as supporting different device driver versions, applications, etc.
2006-11-08 16:43:07 · answer #3 · answered by orlandobillybob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those compress .tar files are the source code for software. Having the source code enables one to compile it on your distribution. With work, It would work on Windows if compiled in it.
The thing about RPM, .deb and any packages is that they are pre-compiled and made to work for that distribution only. RPMs and Deb packages make it easy to install software.
2006-11-08 19:24:03 · answer #4 · answered by The Doctor 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋