GoboLinux is described as “an alternative Linux distribution which redefines the entire filesystem hierarchy”. Not particularly snappy, but the concept behind it is very clean and simple: there is no need for package management, because every program resides in its own directory. This is a great concept because it means you don’t get libraries scattered around your system which can cause dependency problems, and makes un-installing applications much easier.
GoboLinux uses the filesystem to organise program installation so that, for example, OpenOffice and all of its required files would be installed under /Programs/OpenOffice/3.0/.
Mac OS X also uses this concept: right-click on an application in /Applications and select the Show Package Contents option to see this in action.
A post entitled An old OS idea is new again: non-installation by Carl Sassenrath reminded me that the AmigaOS was doing this back in 1985.
I have a lot of time for the Amiga, and particularly its OS. As well as this “non-installing” feature, one of my favourite concepts was the DataType. This was a method of allowing the OS and its applications to recognise new filetypes by abstracting the loading, decoding and saving of file formats into a file descriptor. It meant, for instance, that you could add PNG support to a graphics application simply by dropping a PNG DataType file into the Prefs/Datatypes directory.
Glen Scott
I’m a freelance software developer with 18 years’ professional experience in web development. I specialise in creating tailor-made, web-based systems that can help your business run like clockwork. I am the Managing Director of Yellow Square Development.
Follow Me:
