RMS and GNU/Linux (again)

--nktOf83SvqltY3iw
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

On Sun, Feb 16, 2003 at 03:10:22PM -0700, Craig White wrote:
> There are some that think that RedHat 'is' Linux which of course, could
> not possibly be true. But to label the underlying kernel GNU/Linux
> prevents that or similar assumptions...

I'd like to point out that that isn't what RMS wants.

    "There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is
    not the operating system. Linux is the kernel: the program in the
    system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs
    that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating
    system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context
    of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in a
    combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is
    basically GNU, with Linux functioning as its kernel."
        -- http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html

The argument is that most distributions of Linux are basically a Linux
kernel running amidst a GNU userland. Nor would just any distribution
qualify, in RMS' estimation, to be called GNU/Linux. There are some
distributions out there that do not use a single bit of GNU software
(using, perhaps, something like busybox and ulibc, or a BSD userland,
etc.), and these would properly be called simply "Linux" (or perhaps
something like "NetBSD/Linux", for example). Even RMS wouldn't argue
with you there. ;-)

--=20
Bill Jonas    *    bill@billjonas.com    *    http://www.billjonas.com/
"It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your front door.  You step
into the Road,  and if you don't keep your feet,  there  is  no knowing
where you might be swept off to."  --  Bilbo Baggins

--nktOf83SvqltY3iw
Content-Type: application/pgp-signature
Content-Disposition: inline

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQE+UQdDdmHcUxFvDL0RAoLtAJ0XbdeqHxOMqD2lFCClJRT6c9mJVgCfSb4E
4VsEqiDnZ/em5+61zQl0Hbo=
=oq8F
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

--nktOf83SvqltY3iw--