Can Minix3 run GNU?

Perhaps. Insofar as Minix3 ( http://www.minix3.org/ ) actually and currently *has* goals. Minix3 is only loosely based upon the version 1 and 2 releases, which were, indeed, designed for educational use. The Minix3 project intends, and is making concrete progress towards, creating a usable, real world OS ala Linux designed around a microkernel. While I'm not a huge fan of Minix3 or of microkernels, Minix3 has a credibility which HURD currently lacks. I'm not sure what particular significance "running GNU" actually has in that context. It's a POSIX-like OS, runs X, and a growing list of officially supported applications ( http://www.minix3.org/software/ ).

Considering that most of the Minix 1 and 2 code is of little or no relevance in light of the new purpose of Minix3, what Minix3 has accomplished it has done in 3 years. What little HURD has accomplished has taken 18 years.

It looks to me like "stagnant vs vibrant" is a more significant difference between the two projects than are "different goals" or "running GNU". Who want's to work on something that is going nowhere, regardless of what its goals and aspirations might, at one time, have been?