www/gnu gnu-linux-faq.html

[Richard M. Stallman]

CVSROOT:        /web/www
Module name:    www
Changes by:     Richard M. Stallman <rms>       15/06/07 22:01:11

Modified files:
        gnu            : gnu-linux-faq.html 

Log message:
        (howmuch): rewrite.

CVSWeb URLs:
http://web.cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/www/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html?cvsroot=www&r1=1.138&r2=1.139

Patches:
Index: gnu-linux-faq.html
===================================================================
RCS file: /web/www/www/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html,v
retrieving revision 1.138
retrieving revision 1.139
diff -u -b -r1.138 -r1.139
--- gnu-linux-faq.html  6 Jun 2015 19:53:22 -0000       1.138
+++ gnu-linux-faq.html  7 Jun 2015 22:01:10 -0000       1.139
@@ -1174,18 +1174,20 @@
 GNU/Linux? <span class="anchor-reference-id">(<a 
href="#howmuch">#howmuch</a>)</span></dt>
 
 <dd>
-&ldquo;How much&rdquo; is the wrong question.
+&ldquo;How much&rdquo; is not a meaningful question because the GNU
+system does not have precise boundaries.
 <p>
-If you replace all (or nearly all) of the parts of an airplane, one by
-one, with spares, is it still the same plane?  That question is a
-philosophical conundrum, but the agreed answer is &ldquo;yes.&rdquo;
+GNU is an operating system maintained by a community.  It includes far
+more than just the GNU software packages (of which we have a specific
+list), and people add more packages constantly.  Despite these
+changes, it remains the GNU system, and adding Linux to that yields
+GNU/Linux.  If you use part of the GNU system and omit part, there is
+no meaningful way to say &ldquo;how much&rdquo; you used.</p>
+<p>
+If we look at the level of packages, Linux is one important package in
+the GNU/Linux system.  The inclusion of one important GNU package is
+enough to justify our request for equal mention.
 </p>
-
-<p>The GNU system is something bigger than just the many components
-that were released by the GNU Project.  If you start with GNU/Linux
-replace nearly all the components with others, you may end up with a
-nearly disjoint set of code, but it will still be the GNU/Linux
-system.</p>
 </dd>
 
 <dt id="helplinus">Why not call the system
@@ -1525,7 +1527,7 @@
 
 <p class="unprintable">Updated:
 <!-- timestamp start -->
-$Date: 2015/06/06 19:53:22 $
+$Date: 2015/06/07 22:01:10 $
 <!-- timestamp end -->
 </p>
 </div>