GNU thread -

[ItsTheShitt]

People most commonly know GNU as the GNU/Linux system, but the GNU operating system can work with other different kernels (such as BSDs, Linux, Darwin, Microsoft Windows NT/9x, OpenSolaris, and GNU's kernel HURD)

 

[Kosher Dill]

I once considered doing my own updated version of GnuWin32 just as a middle finger to GNU-plus-Linux people, but I ultimately concluded doing it right wasn't even worth the trouble.

 

[D_Tractor]

No, Richard, it's 'Linux', not 'GNU/Linux'. The most important contributions that the FSF made to Linux were the creation of the GPL and the GCC compiler. Those are fine and inspired products. GCC is a monumental achievement and has earned you, RMS, and the Free Software Foundation countless kudos and much appreciation.

Following are some reasons for you to mull over, including some already answered in your FAQ.

One guy, Linus Torvalds, used GCC to make his operating system (yes, Linux is an OS -- more on this later). He named it 'Linux' with a little help from his friends. Why doesn't he call it GNU/Linux? Because he wrote it, with more help from his friends, not you. You named your stuff, I named my stuff -- including the software I wrote using GCC -- and Linus named his stuff. The proper name is Linux because Linus Torvalds says so. Linus has spoken. Accept his authority. To do otherwise is to become a nag. You don't want to be known as a nag, do you?

(An operating system) != (a distribution). Linux is an operating system. By my definition, an operating system is that software which provides and limits access to hardware resources on a computer. That definition applies whereever you see Linux in use. However, Linux is usually distributed with a collection of utilities and applications to make it easily configurable as a desktop system, a server, a development box, or a graphics workstation, or whatever the user needs. In such a configuration, we have a Linux (based) distribution. Therein lies your strongest argument for the unwieldy title 'GNU/Linux' (when said bundled software is largely from the FSF). Go bug the distribution makers on that one. Take your beef to Red Hat, Mandrake, and Slackware. At least there you have an argument. Linux alone is an operating system that can be used in various applications without any GNU software whatsoever. Embedded applications come to mind as an obvious example.

Next, even if we limit the GNU/Linux title to the GNU-based Linux distributions, we run into another obvious problem. XFree86 may well be more important to a particular Linux installation than the sum of all the GNU contributions. More properly, shouldn't the distribution be called XFree86/Linux? Or, at a minimum, XFree86/GNU/Linux? Of course, it would be rather arbitrary to draw the line there when many other fine contributions go unlisted. Yes, I know you've heard this one before. Get used to it. You'll keep hearing it until you can cleanly counter it.

You seem to like the lines-of-code metric. There are many lines of GNU code in a typical Linux distribution. You seem to suggest that (more LOC) == (more important). However, I submit to you that raw LOC numbers do not directly correlate with importance. I would suggest that clock cycles spent on code is a better metric. For example, if my system spends 90% of its time executing XFree86 code, XFree86 is probably the single most important collection of code on my system. Even if I loaded ten times as many lines of useless bloatware on my system and I never excuted that bloatware, it certainly isn't more important code than XFree86. Obviously, this metric isn't perfect either, but LOC really, really sucks. Please refrain from using it ever again in supporting any argument.

Last, I'd like to point out that we Linux and GNU users shouldn't be fighting among ourselves over naming other people's software. But what the heck, I'm in a bad mood now. I think I'm feeling sufficiently obnoxious to make the point that GCC is so very famous and, yes, so very useful only because Linux was developed. In a show of proper respect and gratitude, shouldn't you and everyone refer to GCC as 'the Linux compiler'? Or at least, 'Linux GCC'? Seriously, where would your masterpiece be without Linux? Languishing with the HURD?

If there is a moral buried in this rant, maybe it is this:

Be grateful for your abilities and your incredible success and your considerable fame. Continue to use that success and fame for good, not evil. Also, be especially grateful for Linux' huge contribution to that success. You, RMS, the Free Software Foundation, and GNU software have reached their current high profiles largely on the back of Linux. You have changed the world. Now, go forth and don't be a nag.

Thanks for listening.

 

[ItsTheShitt]

No, Richard, it's 'Linux', not 'GNU/Linux'. The most important contributions that the FSF made to Linux were the creation of the GPL and the GCC compiler. Those are fine and inspired products. GCC is a monumental achievement and has earned you, RMS, and the Free Software Foundation countless kudos and much appreciation.

Following are some reasons for you to mull over, including some already answered in your FAQ.

One guy, Linus Torvalds, used GCC to make his operating system (yes, Linux is an OS -- more on this later). He named it 'Linux' with a little help from his friends. Why doesn't he call it GNU/Linux? Because he wrote it, with more help from his friends, not you. You named your stuff, I named my stuff -- including the software I wrote using GCC -- and Linus named his stuff. The proper name is Linux because Linus Torvalds says so. Linus has spoken. Accept his authority. To do otherwise is to become a nag. You don't want to be known as a nag, do you?

(An operating system) != (a distribution). Linux is an operating system. By my definition, an operating system is that software which provides and limits access to hardware resources on a computer. That definition applies whereever you see Linux in use. However, Linux is usually distributed with a collection of utilities and applications to make it easily configurable as a desktop system, a server, a development box, or a graphics workstation, or whatever the user needs. In such a configuration, we have a Linux (based) distribution. Therein lies your strongest argument for the unwieldy title 'GNU/Linux' (when said bundled software is largely from the FSF). Go bug the distribution makers on that one. Take your beef to Red Hat, Mandrake, and Slackware. At least there you have an argument. Linux alone is an operating system that can be used in various applications without any GNU software whatsoever. Embedded applications come to mind as an obvious example.

Next, even if we limit the GNU/Linux title to the GNU-based Linux distributions, we run into another obvious problem. XFree86 may well be more important to a particular Linux installation than the sum of all the GNU contributions. More properly, shouldn't the distribution be called XFree86/Linux? Or, at a minimum, XFree86/GNU/Linux? Of course, it would be rather arbitrary to draw the line there when many other fine contributions go unlisted. Yes, I know you've heard this one before. Get used to it. You'll keep hearing it until you can cleanly counter it.

You seem to like the lines-of-code metric. There are many lines of GNU code in a typical Linux distribution. You seem to suggest that (more LOC) == (more important). However, I submit to you that raw LOC numbers do not directly correlate with importance. I would suggest that clock cycles spent on code is a better metric. For example, if my system spends 90% of its time executing XFree86 code, XFree86 is probably the single most important collection of code on my system. Even if I loaded ten times as many lines of useless bloatware on my system and I never excuted that bloatware, it certainly isn't more important code than XFree86. Obviously, this metric isn't perfect either, but LOC really, really sucks. Please refrain from using it ever again in supporting any argument.

Last, I'd like to point out that we Linux and GNU users shouldn't be fighting among ourselves over naming other people's software. But what the heck, I'm in a bad mood now. I think I'm feeling sufficiently obnoxious to make the point that GCC is so very famous and, yes, so very useful only because Linux was developed. In a show of proper respect and gratitude, shouldn't you and everyone refer to GCC as 'the Linux compiler'? Or at least, 'Linux GCC'? Seriously, where would your masterpiece be without Linux? Languishing with the HURD?

If there is a moral buried in this rant, maybe it is this:

Be grateful for your abilities and your incredible success and your considerable fame. Continue to use that success and fame for good, not evil. Also, be especially grateful for Linux' huge contribution to that success. You, RMS, the Free Software Foundation, and GNU software have reached their current high profiles largely on the back of Linux. You have changed the world. Now, go forth and don't be a nag.

Thanks for listening.

the thing is Linus cant keep his kernel from being cucked, this is why im looking for a different kernel

 

[Hamsteroid]

Isn't HURD in development like forever with next to no progress?

 

[ItsTheShitt]

Isn't HURD in development like forever with next to no progress?

No, It's having progress especially with support on real hardware

 

[Hamsteroid]

No, It's having progress especially with support on real hardware

But can it run Doom?

Seriously though, I have no clue, what these logs mean - I'm no IT guy, just an interested end-user.

 

[Homo neanderthalensis]

Let me interject for a moment. What you guys are referring to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX. Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called "Linux", and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project. There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called "Linux" distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.

 

[stares at error messages]

I used to thing it should be GNU+Linux and not GNU/Linux. But now I see it as a file system. You have the GNU environment and the subordinate Linux kernel is just on of many that can be selected form the GNU directory.

GNU
├── Linux/
├── Hurd/
└── BSD/

 

[Kosher Dill]

C:\GNU
C:\GNU\Linux
Abort, Retry, Fail?

 

[The Real SVP]

C:\GNU
C:\GNU\Linux
Abort, Retry, Fail?

The correct command is loadlin.

 

[Nathan Higgers]

the thing is Linus cant keep his kernel from being cucked, this is why im looking for a different kernel

Oh yes, because the FSF isn't filled to the brim with trannies and Richard Stallman doesn't have an entire page on his website endorsing alternative pronouns. And can you please name one good software that the GNU Project has written after the early 90s?
Linus has cucked, so much is true, but the FSF and the GNU project had cucked way before cucking was a popular term.

 

[Knight of the Rope]

No, It's having progress especially with support on real hardware

Why not just use Windows 10, brah?

 

[longtimelurkerfirsttimepo]

Oh yes, because the FSF isn't filled to the brim with trannies and Richard Stallman doesn't have an entire page on his website endorsing alternative pronouns. And can you please name one good software that the GNU Project has written after the early 90s?
Linus has cucked, so much is true, but the FSF and the GNU project had cucked way before cucking was a popular term.

"Perse" is a lot better then "they/them" for the English language.
-https://stallman.org/articles/genderless-pronouns.html

 

[Hamsteroid]

"Perse" is a lot better then "they/them" for the English language.
-https://stallman.org/articles/genderless-pronouns.html

Actually it's GNU/Perse

 

[Throwing Romans]

Don't we already have a thread on the autistic community?

 

[Yotsubaaa]

GNU/kTempleOS?

You'd taint the purity of God's house with the ridiculous GNU stack? Back to hell with you, blasphemer!

 

[ItsTheShitt]

Oh yes, because the FSF isn't filled to the brim with trannies and Richard Stallman doesn't have an entire page on his website endorsing alternative pronouns. And can you please name one good software that the GNU Project has written after the early 90s?
Linus has cucked, so much is true, but the FSF and the GNU project had cucked way before cucking was a popular term.

I do agree, the FSF is cucked, "Encourage contribution by people underrepresented in the community" is apart of their high priority free software projects. But you can just ignore that, and really any sane free software wouldn't care whether you're a tranny or not, just if you write good code and shit
And I am gonna name one, Gnash, although its a fork of GameSWF, they really worked their asses off of reverse engineering the SWF format

 

[cecograph]

We'll all be using Systemd/Linux in the next few years, so we can stop having this argument.

 

[Nathan Higgers]

I do agree, the FSF is cucked, "Encourage contribution by people underrepresented in the community" is apart of their high priority free software projects. But you can just ignore that, and really any sane free software wouldn't care whether you're a tranny or not, just if you write good code and shit

But encouraging contribution doesn't necessarily mean code, it means any form of contribution, and the first thing that trannies contribute are "codes of conduct" that massively restrict writing good patches, or at least, takes the fun out of it.

And I am gonna name one, Gnash, although its a fork of GameSWF, they really worked their asses off of reverse engineering the SWF format

Too bad it ended up being a shitty piece of software that could hardly manage flash games, oh yeah, and then flash died.

By contribution, I meant something actually substantial, like GCC or the coreutils. Truth is, all they care about right now is bitching, moaning and sending stallman on trips around the world where he can bitch, moan and tell people to say GNU/Linux rather than actually sitting the fuck down and programming something that people would want to use.