Index: Lib/platform.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/platform.py	(revision 83728)
+++ Lib/platform.py	(working copy)
@@ -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,
@@ -312,7 +316,26 @@
         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:
         # Probably not a Unix system