Introduction
The LSB aims to provide a single target for ISVs writing software or porting it to the Linux platform, where "the Linux platform" is defined as a short list of Linux distributions on which their applications must run, potentially different from ISV to ISV.
For the LSB to do this, it must be possible to target a version of the LSB with assurance that the application will run on future versions. For example, an LSB 3.0 application will run on LSB 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 4.0, ... compliant distributions.
Backward Compatibility
To achieve backward compatibility, each subsequent version is purely additive--in other words, interfaces are only added to the LSB database, never removed. Our interface deprecation policy does provide us with a mechanism for removing interfaces from the LSB standard, but only after the interfaces have been marked "deprecated" for at least three major versions, or roughly six years. The LSB adopted this policy to give application developers enough time if an interface is removed from the LSB. This enables developers to rely on every interface in the LSB for a known time and also to plan for changes, without being surprised.
To deprecate an interface in the LSB, the following process is used.
- An interface is selected to be deprecated by the LSB workgroup.
- For the next update of the standard, the interface is marked as "deprecated".
- The interface is kept in the standard until the end of the third major release following the deprecation.
- Finally, the interface is marked as "removed" and deleted from the LSB standard, but kept in the LSB database.
Again, this policy allows at least six years of planning horizon for application developers to rely on a given interface in the LSB.
LSB 4.x
LSB 4.0 was released in February of 2009, and is the current released version of the LSB.
Going forward, there will be a series of periodic "4.x" releases (such as 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3) to track developments in the upstream open source projects that are part of LSB, as well as the needs of ISVs. These releases will continue for approximately two years, until LSB 5.0 is released.
LSB 4.1 is currently in development, with a release target in 2010.
Old Roadmaps
Note: Old roadmaps are kept for informational purposes only.