Benefits for All

First, having such compatibility information readily available in one spot promises to make it quicker and easier for manufacturers of Ubuntu or Linux machines to design and get their products to market. That, in turn, will mean more hardware choices for Linux users sooner rather than later.Companies in the PC and server industries will also have a single place in which to publicize their work in certifying Linux components and make that knowledge freely available.

Business and individual users, meanwhile, can both be sure that the key components in machines they're considering will work with the Linux distribution they like. Last but not least, corporate buyers can specify with greater precision the exact design of the desktops or servers they want to order from manufacturers, sure in the knowledge of a compatible result.

It's a win-win all around, in short, and yet another step toward a fully world.

Follow Katherine Noyes on Twitter: .