Linux Standards Base (LSB)

What is it?
Why?
How?
Summary

What is it?

Allows "Shrink wrapped" Linux software
freestandards.org standard
Build Tools
Testing Tools
Certification

Why?

Cross-distro portability
- RedHat
- SuSE
- Mandrake
- Solaris x86
- (FreeBSD?)
- Scientific Linux
Possible basis for easier
- GRID computing
- HEP-wide software publishing

How does it work?

LSB apps:

use specific versioned interfaces
use specific commands
use lsb linker /lib/ld-lsb-arch.so.1
packaged in RPM v3 subset or
LSB compliant installer

How does it work (cont)?

non-LSB libraries:
- static link or
- lsb compliant shlibs included
Packaging
- package names start with lsb-

How do we use it?

Build with lsbdev-base

LSB header files
LSB stub libraries
lsbdev-cc/lsbdev-c++
lsbdev-chroot

How do we use it?(cont)

Example

install devel rpms from
http://www.linuxbase.org/download
CC=lsbcc ./configure
CC=lsbcc make

How do we use it?(cont)

Test with LSB compliance checker

lsbappchk
object format
dynamic symbols

Summary & Questions

LSB can be a Good Thing
Should HEPiX formally recommend it?
Should Scientific Linux branches certify themselves?
Should we contribute test suites?