[GRLUG] What is Linux ?

[Alan]

"Once you say a thing, You miss the mark."
				Zen saying

Back to my original point, For Me, it's about Freedom.
The GNU/GPL and similar licensing seems to be the key.
The Government calls it FOSS. Free and Open Source Software.
The term "Linux" turns some people off.

		Alan


On Saturday 24 March 2007 11:32 am, Bob Kline wrote:
> How about the other direction?  i.e., if
> you start to remove things,  at what point,
> if any,  does what you have stop being
> Linux.  Start by taking away the kernel.
> Is what is left still Linux that is just missing
> a kernel?
>
> Consider some micro Linux version,
> perhaps used in some embedded
> application,  and is missing a lot of
> the things that come with a typical
> distribution.  Why is it still Linux?
>
> Some here have suggested Linux
> is the Kernel.  Some that it's the
> kernel and all the stuff that comes
> along with it to make it useful.
>
> This discussion is just for fun of
> course,  but can highlight that
> sometimes when you press on
> something "obvious" the notion
> of obvious goes away.
>
> Think of it this way.  If someone
> once again insisted that the GRLUG
> forum only be used to discuss "Linux,"
> and not some of the other interesting
> things that come up now and then,
> what would we be talking about?
> Would it mean no one could ask
> question about BASH for example?
>
> As for R. Stallman,  there has been
> some project called the "hurd" for
> years and years.  Someone named
> Thomas Bushnel  See
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Hurd
>
> for some insight in to the hurd,  started
> in 1990.  As described there,  it doesn't
> seem to be going anywhere fast,  and
> the Linux kernel is.
>
> Apparently in Stallman's world view,
> GNU is the core software,  and the
> actual kernel just a a subheading.  And
> all along he was intending to create a
> full OS ( how he defines OS I don't know,
> but it's something like anything that
> contains GNU tools ).  Linux having
> forced his hand some,  he suggests
> GNU/Linux,  and apparently if the "hurd"
> ever appears,  the system would be
> GNU/Hurd.
>
> Onward.  Clearly a lot of folks are wrestling
> with issues of definition and consistency.
>
>      -Bob
>
> On 3/24/07, john-thomas richards <jtr at jrichards.org> wrote:
> > On Fri, Mar 23, 2007 at 10:51:21PM -0400, Alan wrote:
> > > Like Richard Stallman says, it should be GNU/Linux.
> > > Linux just sounds better than GNU and penguins are cuter than gnus.
> > > To me, GNU's free code is more about Freedom than code.
> > > but i'm just an end user, not a coder.
> >
> > I have never understood this.  If Mercury uses SnapOn tools to build my
> > car,
> > would I call it a SnapOn/Mercury Sable?  I realize this illustration is
> > lacking.  To be more accurate, SnapOn *parts* would have to be used in my
> > car
> > and not just SnapOn tools.  Just because I have General brand tires on my
> > car
> > does not make my car a General/Mercury Sable.  One could argue that
> > having xorg
> > on a "Linux" box is just as vital (in terms of usefulness) as having GNU
> > tools.
> > Therefore, one should run an xorg/Linux box.  Perhaps a GNU/xorg/Linux
> > box?
> > One of Stallman's arguments for calling Linux "GNU/Linux" is that GNU
> > software
> > comprised 28% of the code in a Linux distribution ("the largest single
> > contingent").  See http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html.  I wonder
> > what it
> > is today.  KDE and xorg have a lot more code today than just a few years
> > ago.
> > The kernel itself has a lot more code than a few years ago, due to the
> > addition
> > of drivers.  (According to the above link, Linux was just 3% of the
> > code.) What about OpenOffice.org?  Surely OpenOffice.org is the largest
> > contributor of
> > lines of code in any distribution.  Therefore, from this day forth, we
> > shall
> > call our [operating system | distribution | kernel | whatever]
> > OpenOffice.org/Linux.
> >
> > Is it me or does it feel like 1998 again?  :-)
> > --
> > john-thomas
> > ------
> > If the gods listened to the prayers of men, all humankind would quickly
> > perish since they constantly pray for many evils to befall one another.
> > Epicurus, philosopher (c. 341-270 BCE)
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