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www/gnu gnu-linux-faq.html
|
From: |
Richard M. Stallman |
|
Subject: |
www/gnu gnu-linux-faq.html |
|
Date: |
Sun, 19 Jan 2014 05:18:18 +0000 |
CVSROOT: /web/www
Module name: www
Changes by: Richard M. Stallman <rms> 14/01/19 05:18:18
Modified files:
gnu : gnu-linux-faq.html
Log message:
(knownname, finishhurd, notinstallable): New questions.
Also small cleanups.
CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.119&r2=1.120
Patches:
Index: gnu-linux-faq.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html,v
retrieving revision 1.119
retrieving revision 1.120
diff -u -b -r1.119 -r1.120
--- gnu-linux-faq.html 2 Apr 2013 08:16:07 -0000 1.119
+++ gnu-linux-faq.html 19 Jan 2014 05:18:17 -0000 1.120
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@
<li><a href="#kernelmost" id="TOCkernelmost">Isn't writing the kernel
most of the work in an operating system?</a></li>
+<li><a href="#notinstallable" id="TOCnotinstalable">How can GNU be an
+ operating system, if I can't get something called “GNU”
+ and install it?</a></li>
+
<li><a href="#afterkernel" id="TOCafterkernel">We're calling the whole
system after the kernel, Linux. Isn't it normal to name an
operating system after a kernel?</a></li>
@@ -174,6 +178,10 @@
<li><a href="#linusagreed" id="TOClinusagreed">Does Linus Torvalds
agree that Linux is just the kernel?</a></li>
+<li><a href="#finishhurd" id="TOCfinishhurd">Why not finish
+ the GNU Hurd kernel, release the GNU system as a whole,
+ and forget the question of what to call GNU/Linux?</a></li>
+
<li><a href="#lost" id="TOClost">The battle is already
lost—society has made its decision and we can't change it,
so why even think about it?</a></li>
@@ -222,6 +230,9 @@
<li><a href="#somanyright" id="TOCsomanyright">Since many people call it
“Linux”, doesn't that make it right?</a></li>
+<li><a href="#knownname" id="TOCknownname">Isn't it better to call the
+ system by the name most users already know?</a></li>
+
<li><a href="#winning" id="TOCwinning">Many people care about what's
convenient or
who's winning, not about arguments of right or wrong. Couldn't you
get more of their support by a different road?</a></li>
@@ -533,6 +544,43 @@
No, many components take a lot of work.
</dd>
+<dt id="notinstallable">How can GNU be an
+ operating system, if I can't get something called “GNU”
+ and install it? <span class="anchor-reference-id">(<a
href="#TOCnotinstalable">#notinstallable</a>)</span></dt>
+
+<dd>
+Many <a href="/distros/distros.html"> packaged and installable
+versions of GNU</a> are available. None of them is called simply
+“GNU”, but GNU is what they are basically are.
+
+<p>
+We expected to release the GNU system packaged for installation, but
+this plan was overtaken by events: in 1992 others were already
+packaging GNU variants containing Linux. Starting in 1993 we
+sponsored an effort to make a better and freer GNU/Linux distribution,
+called <a href="/distros/common-distros.html#Debian">Debian
+GNU/Linux</a>. The founder of Debian had already chosen that name.
+We did not ask him to call it just “GNU” because that was
+to be the name of a system version with the GNU Hurd kernel —
+which wasn't ready yet.</p>
+
+<p>
+The GNU Hurd kernel never became sufficiently ready; we only recommend
+it to those interested in working on it. So we never packaged GNU
+with the GNU Hurd kernel. However, Debian packaged this combination
+as Debian GNU/Hurd.</p>
+
+<p>
+We are now developing an advanced Scheme-based package manager called
+GUIX, and this includes repackaging a substantial part of the GNU
+system.</p>
+
+<p>
+We never took the last step of packaging GNU under the name
+“GNU”, but that doesn't alter what kind of thing GNU is.
+GNU is an operating system.</p>
+</dd>
+
<dt id="afterkernel">We're calling the
whole system after the kernel, Linux. Isn't it normal to name an
operating system after a kernel? <span class="anchor-reference-id">(<a
href="#afterkernel">#afterkernel</a>)</span></dt>
@@ -1058,14 +1106,14 @@
<p>
Android is very different from the GNU/Linux system—because it
contains very little of the GNU system, only Linux. Overall, it's a
-different system. If you call the whole system “Linux”,
+different system. If you call the whole GNU/Linux system “Linux”,
you will find it necessary to say things like, “Android contains
Linux, but it isn't Linux, because it doesn't have the usual Linux
[sic] libraries and utilities [meaning the GNU system].” Android
contains just as much of Linux as GNU/Linux does. What it doesn't
have is the GNU system. Android replaces that with Google software
that works quite differently. Thus, what makes Android different
-is the lack of GNU.</p>
+from GNU/Linux is the absence of GNU.</p>
</dd>
<dt id="helplinus">Why not call the system
@@ -1125,6 +1173,22 @@
for more info”</a>.</p>
</dd>
+<dt id="finishhurd">Why not finish the GNU Hurd kernel, release the GNU system
+ as a whole, and forget the question of what to call GNU/Linux?
+ <span class="anchor-reference-id">(<a
href="#finishhurd">#finishhurd</a>)</span></dt>
+
+<dd>
+We would like credit for the GNU operating system no matter which
+kernel is used with it.
+
+<p>Making the GNU Hurd work well enough to compete with Linux would be
+a big job, and it's not clearly necessary. The only thing ethically
+wrong with Linux as a kernel is its inclusion of firmware
+“blobs”; the best fix for that problem
+is <a href="http://fsf.org/campaigns/priority-projects";> developing
+free replacement for the blobs</a>.</p>
+</dd>
+
<dt id="lost">The battle is already lost—society
has made its decision and we can't change it, so why even think about
it? <span class="anchor-reference-id">(<a
href="#lost">#lost</a>)</span></dt>
@@ -1304,6 +1368,16 @@
We don't think that the popularity of an error makes it the truth.
</dd>
+<dt id="knownname">Isn't it better to call the
+ system by the name most users already know? <span
class="anchor-reference-id">(<a href="#knownname">#somanyright</a>)</span></dt>
+
+<dd>
+Users are not incapable of learning. Since “GNU/Linux”
+includes “Linux”, they wlll recognize what you're talking
+about. If you add “(often erroneously referred to as
+‘Linux’)” once in a while, they will all understand.
+</dd>
+
<dt id="winning">Many people care about what's
convenient or who's winning, not about arguments of right or wrong.
Couldn't you get more of their support by a different
@@ -1312,9 +1386,9 @@
<dd>
To care only about what's convenient or who's winning is an amoral
approach to life. Non-free software is an example of that amoral
-approach and thrives on it. So in the long run it is self-defeating
-for us to bow to that approach. We will continue talking in terms
-of right and wrong.
+approach and thrives on it. Thus, in the long run it would be
+self-defeating for us to adopt that approach. We will continue
+talking in terms of right and wrong.
<p>
We hope that you are one of those for whom right and wrong do matter.</p>
</dd>
@@ -1377,7 +1451,7 @@
<p>Updated:
<!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2013/04/02 08:16:07 $
+$Date: 2014/01/19 05:18:17 $
<!-- timestamp end -->
</p>
</div>
- www/gnu gnu-linux-faq.html,
Richard M. Stallman <=