Meaning of GNU/Linux [LWN.net]

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 14, 2008 19:10 UTC (Fri) by speedster1 (subscriber, #8143)
In reply to: Quotes of the week by alfille
Parent article: Quotes of the week

GNU/Linux never was meant to imply that the Linux kernel was GNU software. It  is intended to
describe an operating system which is a collection of both the Linux kernel and many userspace
libraries and applications, where a sizeable proportion of userspace code *is* GNU software.
Note that this description does not fit ALL systems commonly referred to as "Linux", for
instance some classes of embedded Linux devices are busybox+custom apps. Although, come to
think of it, most of those embedded devices are highly dependent on GNU toolchains...

So, Stallman was not being inconsistent. Suppose I referred to my sandwich as "turkey/swiss
cheese", but also asserted that the swiss cheese is not itself turkey, and thus does not have
to be held to rules that apply to deli meat... would that be inconsistent?

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Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 14, 2008 21:00 UTC (Fri) by zlynx (subscriber, #2285) [Link]

Follow that pattern, I sometimes describe my system as "Gnome/X/GNU/Linux".
Some embedded systems are actually "Qt/BusyBox/Linux" or "FLTK/X/BusyBox/Linux" and there's no
GNU in there at all.

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 15, 2008 0:34 UTC (Sat) by alfille (subscriber, #1631) [Link]

So why not GNU/cygwin GNU/freeBSD, etc?

It's not that there isn't GNU included in a standard Linux distribution, it's that imposing
your name and demanding first billing smacks of jealousy. Demanding that the GNU name be added
to any distribution that includes GNU software wasn't originally required.

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 15, 2008 10:30 UTC (Sat) by nix (subscriber, #2304) [Link]

Of course, if we ever get embedded animal tracking chips running free 
software, we could have GNU/gnu.

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 15, 2008 20:45 UTC (Sat) by speedster1 (subscriber, #8143) [Link]

A lot of free *BSD systems use mostly BSD-derived userspace. However, haven't you heard of
"Debian GNU/kFreeBSD"?

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 15, 2008 20:47 UTC (Sat) by speedster1 (subscriber, #8143) [Link]

Oops previous comment about Debian GNU/kFreeBSD ended up under the wrong parent, sorry...

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 17, 2008 1:48 UTC (Mon) by alfille (subscriber, #1631) [Link]

>>So, Stallman was not being inconsistent. Suppose I referred to my sandwich as "turkey/swiss
cheese", but also asserted that the swiss cheese is not itself turkey, and thus does not have
to be held to rules that apply to deli meat... would that be inconsistent?


I insist that all all such sandwiches be called MAYO/swiss/turkey.

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 17, 2008 6:07 UTC (Mon) by speedster1 (subscriber, #8143) [Link]

I refuse to continue this conversation any more, now that you have started disgusting rumors
about my poor sandwich. Stallman would NEVER stoop to such depths as accusing me of putting
Mayo on my sandwich, whether he is jealous of Linux's fame or not.

(Mustard, well maybe, but MAYO!!???)

Meaning of GNU/Linux

Posted Mar 20, 2008 21:12 UTC (Thu) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

Look, it's all about choice.  Biodiversity.  A sandwich monoculture, while convenient today,
ends up being harmful in the long run.  By Thursday I suspect you'll be tired of mustard...