Linux Standard Base 3.1 creates a single starting point for Linux distributions

The Free Standards Group has released Linux Standard Base 3.1, the first version that offers a standard for desktop Linux applications.

The LSB is an effort to create a single starting point for Linux distributions based on standardised core elements of the operating system.

Aiming for easier certification and increased Linux adoption, LSB lets software developers craft a single version of their application that will work on all LSB-compliant Linux distributions.

Standardisation and interoperability are even more important on desktops than on servers, the group argued, because it could cause software vendors to shy away from the operating system altogether.

The initiative is supported by a series of Linux vendors and software developers including IBM, HP, Novell, Red Hat, Sun Microsystems and Real Networks.