[wellylug] Forking Linux.

Pete Black pete at marchingcubes.com
Wed Nov 10 16:14:17 NZDT 2004


Technically, yes, it is incorrect. Linux - as a trademark held by Linus 
Torvalds and as a project - refers strictly to the kernel.

GNU/Linux is a term proposed by Richard Stallman and the FSF to refer to 
the collection of GNU libc/GNU userland applications and gcc compiler 
running on a Linux kernel.

None of these terms really offer a comprehensive overview of the 
contributions of various parties to an average Linux distro, or an 
Operating System bundle that contains a significant proportion of open 
source products.

The term 'Linux' has come to mean the bundle of software shipped in 
addition to the Linux sofware, and I agree the recusive nature of the 
GNU acronym does indeed  raise some semantic confusion when it is 
bundled with a 'true' UNIX kernel.

However, one thing is certainly true - If the product does not contain a 
Linux kernel, then it isn't a Linux.

-Pete

> Pete Black wrote:
>
>> Linux is an OS kernel. Simple as that.
>
>
> So the common use of 'Linux' referring to a distribution containing 
> the kernel and all the other software is invalid? If so, what is the 
> correct term? How do we get the masses to use that correct term? And 
> if the wrong term is so widely used, has it now changed from wrong to 
> right?
>
>>
>> Solaris with X.org/GNOME etc. might as well be called GNU/Solaris, in 
>> the same way as a more strictly 'correct' term for what we know as 
>> 'Linux' would be GNU/Linux.
>
>
> If GNU is 'GNUs Not Unix' and Solaris is Unix then how can we have 
> GNU/Solaris? Now my brain is going to explode.
>
>




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