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Debian Lenny release planned for February 14Debian Lenny release planned for February 14Posted Feb 3, 2009 21:20 UTC (Tue) by jmorris42 (subscriber, #2203)In reply to: Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 by k8to Parent article: Debian Lenny release planned for February 14
> I have a shellscript that removes "GNU" from the various
> places it pops up in the Debian Linux strings on my box.
Amen! Link please?
It's one of my major complaints with Debian, the total disrespect they show towards other people's trademarks. If they want to call it GNU/Debian that's fine since that is their own trademark they are diluting. But Linus didn't sign over the Linux mark to Debian or their upstream non-profit so they have no right to dilute it.
Especially since GNU isn't the only major component. If you are going to go that route you must at least include X, Sun (OO.o plus so much more), Moz Corp, etc. Which is probably why I had no objection to Yggdrasil sometimes calling their distribution Yggdrasil LGX to show some love to Linux, GNU and XFree. Yes I just dated myself, oh well.
Basically, my opinion is if RMS wants to put his brand on something he could get his troops off their ass and finish GNU. It's been promised longer than Duke Nukem Forever so either finish the damned HURD or adopt Linux but it is time to release an official distribution under the FSF's label and call it GNU 1.0. Or forget about GNU, declare victory in the bigger struggle to bring about the creation of 100% Free Software computing environments and we can all raise a glass to the achievements of the FSF.
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Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 Posted Feb 4, 2009 19:25 UTC (Wed) by jordanb (subscriber, #45668) [Link]
What the hell are you talking about?
Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 Posted Feb 4, 2009 21:23 UTC (Wed) by nix (subscriber, #2304) [Link]
I was particularly taken with the idea of diluting the Linux trademark by
using a slightly different name than the trademarked one for an excellent implementation of, er, a Linux system.
'It's trademarks, Jim, but not as we know it.'
Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 Posted Feb 5, 2009 16:58 UTC (Thu) by jordanb (subscriber, #45668) [Link]
"Dilution" of a trademark occurs when the trademarked word is used to refer to items that are not produced by the trademark holder. For instance, when people started calling any photocopy a "xerox," that diluted Xerox's trademark.
In this case, Debian GNU/Linux does -- in fact -- contain the Linux kernel, so I don't see what the problem is.
When Linus Torvalds was asked about GNU/Linux, he said that Red Hat and SuSE aught to be allowed to call the operating system they distribute "Linux" if they so wish. By the same argument, Debian aught to be able to call theirs "GNU/Linux."
Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 Posted Feb 6, 2009 12:22 UTC (Fri) by hppnq (subscriber, #14462) [Link] In this case, Debian GNU/Linux does -- in fact -- contain the Linux kernel, so I don't see what the problem is. Like someone else noted, a "GNU/Linux" distribution typically contains more Free Software then just GNU programs and the Linux kernel, and not all of these programs are as trivial as cat(1). Besides, many people simply call the system "Linux" and this, unfortunately, is how languages work. Accept it, or do something about it. The suggestion to finish the Hurd is actually a good one, but getting a major distribution to change its naming convention may also help. But do allow people to use the phrasing they are used to and care for. This may surprise you, but to me, calling it "GNU/Linux" would weaken the notion that Free Software is built on other free software.
Debian Lenny release planned for February 14 Posted Feb 7, 2009 18:09 UTC (Sat) by oak (guest, #2786) [Link]
> If you are going to go that route you must at least include X, Sun (OO.o
plus so much more), Moz Corp, etc.
All these are optional components. Things like kernel and coreutils
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