Linux group releases apps specification

The Linux community's Free Standards Group has released the first version of a set of specifications which will enable developers to create applications that run across all versions of the open source operating system.

The Linux Development Platform Specification (LDPS) was created by a group of Linux distributors, including Red Hat, SuSE, VA Linux and TurboLinux, to ensure that new applications can be written once and still be compatible with the different versions of Linux on the market.

Scott McNeil, open source strategist at VA Linux, said: "There are slight incompatibilities between the different versions of Linux for developers.

"Because of the nature of open source, applications can be used on all the various versions of Linux but after a little tweaking. LDPS allows developers to build applications and be guaranteed that they will work against all versions."

The specification is available from the Free Standards Group's website and an updated version is planned for early next year.

Separately, TurboLinux has secured $30m worth of private funding from a group of 15 investors that includes IBM, Silicon Graphics, Fujitsu and Hitachi. Although TurboLinux has offices around the world, its main target market is Asia.