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

--- a/Lib/platform.py
+++ b/Lib/platform.py
@@ -284,6 +284,10 @@
             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,
@@ -308,6 +312,25 @@
         args given as parameters.
 
     """
+    # check for the Debian/Ubuntu /etc/lsb-release file first, needed so
+    # that the distribution doesn't get identified as Debian.
+    try:
+        etclsbrel = open("/etc/lsb-release", "rU")
+        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: