Re: What OS is used By Richard Stallman

[Tim X]

David Brodbeck <brodbd@u.washington.edu> writes:

> On Jan 4, 2008, at 2:40 AM, Gian Uberto Lauri wrote:
>> I> Linux is simply a shorter, easier version of saying GNU/Linux.
>>
>> I> Similar to "US" being a shorter version of "USA".
>>
>> Right!
>>
>> I> Any GNU/Linux distro is a packaging of Linux kernel with GNU
>> I> programs.
>>
>> All, AFAIK.
>>
>> I> Most of these GNU programs (X, Gnome, KDE, binutils, gcc)
>> I> run under many kernels and operating systems, such as Linux, BSD,
>> I> Sun, MS Windows, and so on and so forth.
>>
>> Xfree is not a GNU project, and Xorg too. But what you say is right.
>
> So if GNU/Linux is correct, doesn't that mean we should have to call  most
> distributions GNU/X.org/Apache/Perl/Linux?  (I'm probably leaving  a few
> out.)
>
> And of course there's CP/M/DOS/Windows, and BSD/Mach/MacOS.
>
> You know, this could get confusing.  I think I'll stick to just  "Linux."
> I was never much for political correctness.
>
>
>

Generally, I *think* the convention is that GNU Linux refers to the whole
bundle/distribution, while Linux just refers to the kernel. 

Given that you need a kernel and a basic set of core utilities before you
have a system that is at all usable and since most of those essential core
utilities are GNU based, GNU Linux seems like a good name. It tells us it
is a system running Linux as the kernel and using GNU utilities. I don't
think you need xorg, apache or perl because these are not essential or even
included in all distros. 

I guess GNU Linux also makes the distinction between a GNU based OS using
the Linux kernel compared to one using a different kernel, such as hurd.

Tim
-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au