The DCC Alliance Launches to Assemble a Common, Standards-Based Core for Debian-Based Linux Distributions

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- (LinuxWorld Expo) - Major Linux vendors and non-profit organizations today officially launched the DCC Alliance. The Alliance plans to assemble a common, standards-based Debian core for Debian-based Linux distributions, accelerate worldwide commercial adoption of Debian, promote compatibility among the growing community of Debian derivatives, and work with Debian on features important to commercial adoption, such as a predictable release cycle and Linux Standard Base (LSB) compliance.

Founding members of the Alliance include credativ, KNOPPIX, LinEx, Linspire, MEPIS, Progeny, Sun Wah, UserLinux, and Xandros. The initial release of the Debian Common Core, expected in the September time frame, will be based on Debian 3.1 ("Sarge") and certified to LSB. The common core will be the basis for future releases of each member's Linux products, and the DCC Alliance will serve as a single point of contact for software and hardware vendors who want to ensure that their products will work with Debian.

"Debian GNU/Linux already enjoys worldwide acceptance, and by aligning around a common core, we make Debian more viable in the commercial world," said Ian Murdock, Debian founder and leader of the DCC Alliance. "I've talked to a huge number of companies over the years that tell me their customers ask about Debian, but that they don't know how to respond because they can't figure out how to support it. The DCC finally gives them a way to do that. Through the combined strength of its members the Alliance will fill in the gaps -- such as LSB compliance -- necessary to attract major industry partners and propel Debian to its rightful place in the enterprise space."

The DCC Alliance aims to complement and strengthen existing Linux standardization efforts by collaborating on a single, Debian-based implementation of the LSB standard that will be deployed worldwide via the Linux distributions of Alliance members. This way, ISVs and IHVs may certify to a single, vendor-neutral standard platform while at the same time extend their reach into under-served geographies and markets.

"The Free Standards Group is pleased that the DCC Alliance is using the Linux Standard Base as a foundation of its offering," said Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Free Standards Group. "This is a significant development for Linux and will further enable the goal of the LSB: a strong ecosystem of Linux vendors competing around a common, well supported, open standard. The Alliance's strategy of having ISVs certify to the LSB will make it easier for ISVs to target the Linux platform and further reduce their service and support costs. The Debian Common Core strengthens the Linux industry as a whole."

By building products and services upon and around a common Debian core as an implementation of existing standards, alliance members and associates can meet a diversity of market needs while consumers, businesses, schools, and governments are assured of a standards-based, world-class Linux platform not controlled by a particular vendor. The Alliance's primary goals are to: * Assemble a 100 percent Debian common core that addresses the needs of

enterprise business users * Maintain certification of the common core with the Free Standards Group

open specification, the Linux Standard Base * Use the Alliance's combined strength to accelerate the commercial

adoption of Debian * Work with the Debian project to ensure predictable release cycles and

features important to commercial adoption The DCC is not a Linux distribution; it is a "base" Debian system composed of essential programs or "packages" from Debian GNU/Linux, combined with member additions to attain LSB certification and achieve broad commercial acceptance and support.

DCC Alliance members will draw from a single software repository with a common set of enhancements, fixes, and security updates. Each member of the DCC Alliance can decide what further components they wish to add to their particular certified distributions. The benefits from this approach include a pooled development effort, enhanced security, and one standard set of components that third party application providers can support while preserving the flexibility for Alliance members to add value for their target markets.

The DCC Alliance is an open development effort, working in conjunction with Debian, the Free Standards Group and its LSB workgroup, and other industry projects. Membership is open to additional participants with an interest in a strong Debian platform. All DCC enhancements will be contributed to the general Debian community. About the DCC Alliance

The DCC Alliance is an association of organizations and individuals to assemble a common, standards-based core for Debian-based Linux distributions and accelerate worldwide commercial adoption of Debian GNU/Linux. Founding members of the Alliance include credativ, KNOPPER.NET (KNOPPIX), LinEx.org (Junta de Extremadura), Linspire, Inc., MEPIS LLC, Progeny, Sun Wah, UserLinux, and Xandros, Inc. For more information, please visit http://www.dccalliance.org. About the Free Standards Group

The Free Standards Group is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the use and acceptance of free and open source software by developing and promoting standards. Key Free Standards Group projects include the Linux Standard Base (LSB), OpenI18N, LANANA and the new Accessibility Workgroup. Supported by leaders in the IT industry as well as the open source development community, the Free Standards Group fulfills a critical need to have common behavioral specifications, tools and ABIs across Linux platforms. More information on the Free Standards Group is available at http://www.freestandards.org. For more information, please contact:

Heather MacKenzie

DCC Press Contact/Linspire, Inc.

858-587-6700 x263

858-587-8095 (Fax)

pr@linspireinc.com