# DP: Use /etc/lsb-release to identify the platform.

--- a/Lib/platform.py
+++ b/Lib/platform.py
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@
 _supported_dists = (
     'SuSE', 'debian', 'fedora', 'redhat', 'centos',
     'mandrake', 'mandriva', 'rocks', 'slackware', 'yellowdog', 'gentoo',
-    'UnitedLinux', 'turbolinux')
+    'UnitedLinux', 'turbolinux', 'Ubuntu')
 
 def _parse_release_file(firstline):
 
@@ -288,6 +288,10 @@
             id = l[1]
     return '', version, id
 
+_distributor_id_file_re = re.compile("(?:DISTRIB_ID\s*=)\s*(.*)", re.I)
+_release_file_re = re.compile("(?:DISTRIB_RELEASE\s*=)\s*(.*)", re.I)
+_codename_file_re = re.compile("(?:DISTRIB_CODENAME\s*=)\s*(.*)", re.I)
+
 def linux_distribution(distname='', version='', id='',
 
                        supported_dists=_supported_dists,
@@ -312,6 +316,25 @@
         args given as parameters.
 
     """
+    # check for the LSB /etc/lsb-release file first, needed so
+    # that the distribution doesn't get identified as Debian.
+    try:
+        with open("/etc/lsb-release", "rU") as etclsbrel:
+            for line in etclsbrel:
+                m = _distributor_id_file_re.search(line)
+                if m:
+                    _u_distname = m.group(1).strip()
+                m = _release_file_re.search(line)
+                if m:
+                    _u_version = m.group(1).strip()
+                m = _codename_file_re.search(line)
+                if m:
+                    _u_id = m.group(1).strip()
+            if _u_distname and _u_version:
+                return (_u_distname, _u_version, _u_id)
+    except (EnvironmentError, UnboundLocalError):
+        pass
+
     try:
         etc = os.listdir('/etc')
     except os.error: