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Rule #3: Divide and conquer
,----[ Quote ]
| Deconstructing “GNU/Linux”
|
| When I tried to compare the size in “source lines of code” (SLOC)
| between “Debian GNU/Linux ‘Sarge’” and “Windows Vista”, the first problem to
| arise was that there really is no direct free software analog to the “Windows
| operating system”. Instead of one single monolithic development project, the
| free community produces a swarm of smaller projects. By choosing a popular
| selection of projects, it’s possible to build an “equivalent function”
| alternative to Windows.
|
| [...]
|
| One thing figure 1 does not show is the range of choice that is also
| possible. This particular stack (glibc + Linux + GNU utilities + X.org + KDE
| + Mozilla) is only one popular choice out of many. This choice is made
| possible by the fact that each layer in the stack adheres closely to
| published interface standards. With relatively few problems, any of the stack
| layers can be swapped out with alternative programs providing similar
| functionality. Figure 2 shows an assortment of the options available. Even
| considering that this not a complete list of objects, the number of possible
| combinations (over 2000) is staggering!
`----
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/books/mihrfc/rule_3_divide_and_conquer
Recent:
Linux is like an onion.
,----[ Quote ]
| The innermost layer of Linux is the kernel. Everything is wrapped around
| this. Before we go much further I am using Linux in the generic brand name
| use of the word. I know Linux is just the kernel and the proper terminology
| is GNU/Linux for a distribution.
`----
http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/locutus/linux-is-like-an-onion-30278
Modularity Gets Down to Business
,----[ Quote ]
| What's noteworthy here is that we have one company, Optaros, creating open
| source software to make the open source code of another company, Alfresco,
| work better. Again, this is a unique ability of free software, which both
| makes the code available, and adopts a licence designed to allow others to
| build upon it.
`----
http://www.computerworlduk.com/toolbox/open-source/blogs/index.cfm?blogid=14&entryid=1027
Why is Open Source/Community Developed Better?
,----[ Quote ]
| Anyway, just in case anyone was wondering, we are still arguing over which
| software is better, and I don't think we will ever stop, even if it is clear
| open source software has several advantages. What kind of advantages? Many:
| portability, enhancement, minimization, security, and dedication.
`----
http://blogs.pcworld.com/communityvoices/archives/2008/07/why_is_open_sou.html
http://tinyurl.com/6fqs43
In Praise of Modularity
,----[ Quote ]
| In other words, the fact that he was working from his bedroom in Helsinki,
| with a team of coders around the world, whom he had never met, linked by the
| Internet, meant that the work on the kernel had to be parcelled out in a very
| precise way. This, in its turn, meant that the interface between the parcels
| had to be kept very clean – there was no scope for “fudges” to make stuff
| work.
|
| The knock-on consequence of this well-organised code was that new modules
| could be swapped in extremely easily. So when somebody came up with a better
| solution to a particular part of the kernel it was relatively easy to adopt
| it. This drove an extremely rapid evolution of the code while preserving
| great robustness.
|
| Modularity, and the re-use it allows, have since become two of the hallmarks
| of open source software. Indeed, the idea of modularity has proved so
| successful, that it has been applied at the next level up, in the creation of
| distributions. As opposed to the monolithic approaches of Windows, say, where
| elements are tightly integrated across packages and applications, the free
| software approach is to keep everything very loosely coupled so as to allow
| maximum flexibility, but without sacrificing compatibility.
`----
http://www.computerworlduk.com/community/blogs/index.cfm?RSS&entryid=1025
The Linux Saga: Preface
,----[ Quote ]
| Chapter 7: More on those toy bricks
|
| One of the advantages of a UNIX system is the possibility to replace any part
| of the system with another provided that it has the same
| interface/functionality. You don’t like BASH? Use tcsh. You don’t like KDE?
| There is GNOME, Xfce.
|
| These are those basic rules on which UNIX is based that made this system so
| flexible. From, desktops, servers, mainframes to supercomputers and back to
| small mobile devices like smartphones or MIDs…
`----
http://polishlinux.org/linux/the-linux-saga-preface/
The Marvels of Modularity
,----[ Quote ]
| One word that has cropped up time and again on this blog is "modularity".
| It's one of the prime characteristics of the open source way - and one of its
| greatest strengths. Now wonder, then, that Microsoft has finalled cottoned
| on - helped, no doubt, by the abject failure of its Vista monster
|
| [...]
|
| Needless to say, though, even in making this sensible move, Microsoft manages
| to add a touch of absurdity:
|
|
| Unsurprisingly, Microsoft already has a patent on a "modular operating
| system" concept.
|
|
| A patent on modularity? Give me a break....
`----
http://opendotdotdot.blogspot.com/2008/03/marvels-of-modularity.html
Related:
Microsoft to Release Modular Operating Systems
,----[ Quote ]
| Confirming Gartner's prediction, Microsoft has filed for a patent with
| the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a modular operating system.
| The title of Microsoft's patent applications is "System and method
| for delivery of a modular operating system."
|
| [...]
|
| Instead of releasing a complete operating system, Microsoft will
| fragment the product, delivering a universal and basic core OS, and
| allowing the users to built upon the nucleus OS with additional
| operating system segments. In this manner, users will be enabled
| to buy the fundamental Windows Modular operating system and then
| add components, capabilities, features, each fragment with its own
| price tag and license.
`----
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-To-Release-Modular-Operating-Systems-42462.shtml
Red Hat release renews OS debate
,----[ Quote ]
| Makers of "software appliances" are using the launch as an opportunity
| to predict that the days of the monolithic OS are numbered. They say
| the future lies in a modular system in which software runs with only
| enough lines of OS code to make it work.
|
| Some see promise in the appliance alternative to the OS, while
| skeptics think large enterprises will still need a general-purpose OS.
|
| The same questions arose recently around the launch of Microsoft
| Corp. Windows Vista. A trio of Gartner Inc. analysts published a
| report in 2006 that said the increasing complexity of Windows
| makes it "unsustainable." Gartner predicted Windows will be
| broken up into modular components.
`----
http://www.linuxworld.com/news/2007/031407-red-hat-release-renews-os.html?fsrc=rss-linux-news
Raising the abstraction level in open source
,----[ Quote ]
| Our view is that project plans are the latest evolutionary bump
| in the abstraction level - plans are the 'source' for the steps
| that enables the completion of a goal.
`----
http://rogerdenton.blogspot.com/2006/11/raising-level-of-abstraction-in-open.html
The Benefits of Modular Programming
,----[ Quote ]
| Consider how Linux distributions work. RedHat's Fedora, Mandriva, SUSE,
| and Debian all contain largely the same applications, written by the
| same people. The distributor simply packages them and provides the
| "glue" to install them together.
`----
http://www.webreference.com/programming/modular_programming/
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