| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| GNU/Linux or Linux alone? |
| GNU/Linux |
|
42% |
[ 191 ] |
| Linux |
|
35% |
[ 158 ] |
| Don't Care |
|
22% |
[ 101 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 450 |
|
| Author |
Message |
amiatrome
Apprentice
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Campus | Arena Country Club | Home
|
 Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:00 pm Post subject: GNU/Linux or Linux alone? |
 |
|
GNU/Linux or Linux alone? I am curious about the position Gentooers take.
Here's why it may matter.
_________________
blog | homepage | alias | prompts |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
shash
Apprentice
Joined: 18 Apr 2003
Posts: 220
Location: India
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:07 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Oh, it depends - When around people who know that GNU's in there, I omit it. Even otherwise, I just drop it, in casual conversation. It's only when I find someone having a wrong impression (Linux 9, anyone?  ).
I think it's technically right, but there's no other real choice - if someone made a BSD base system on top of a Linux kernel or something, it makes more sense, but being just GNU and Linux, there's no real point, except for those who are like I mentioned. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
codergeek42
Bodhisattva
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 5142
Location: Anaheim, CA (USA)
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:10 pm Post subject: |
|
|
GNU/Linux
_________________
~~ Peter: Programmer, Mathematician, STEM & Free Software Advocate, Enlightened Agent, Transhumanist, Fedora contributor
Who am I? :: EFF & FSF |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
carbon
Guru
Joined: 27 Jun 2003
Posts: 455
Location: New York
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:13 pm Post subject: |
|
|
AFAIK, Linux is the name of the kernel that Linus Torvalds wrote in 1991.
GNU is an organization that develop open source software. Since distributions started to use GNU's softwre to go with the Kernel called Linux, so I guess they should be called GNU/Linux system.
However, people tend to like shorter simpler name, so somehow people started to call their systems a Linux system since the Kernel (seems like the most important part of a system) is called Linux.
That's my understanding and please correct me if I am wrong.
_________________
I do what I want, and that's what I do.
GNU World Domination
Carbon |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Syntaxis
Guru
Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 511
Location: London, UK
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:15 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I tend to just abide by the distro's own choice in the matter. So: Debian GNU/Linux, Gentoo Linux, etc...
_________________
The Debian User Forums - help them grow! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chunderbunny
Veteran
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 1281
Location: 51°24'27" N, 0°57'15" W
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Linux is just easier to say, GNU/Linux is a horrible name IMO. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
nightm4re
Guru
Joined: 20 Jun 2004
Posts: 519
Location: Providence, RI, USA
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| chunderbunny wrote: | | Linux is just easier to say, GNU/Linux is a horrible name IMO. |
i agree. i think it's defintely right to include GNU in it since a lot of it is indeed GNU stuff, but it's mad hard to say. If people ask me what I run, i tell em gentoo. If that leaves them with a puzzled face, just mention linux, and then they'll get it.
Officially tho, def gnu/linux.
_________________
Nitrogen - GtkMM based background setter/restorer, please test!
Minuslab | d.minuslab.net |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
reisio
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 121
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 3:32 pm Post subject: |
|
|
officially, GNU/Linux
when I know I'm not talking to idiots, Linux
when I know I'm talking to ignorant people, GNU/Linux |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
skunkworx
Guru
Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Posts: 420
Location: Planet Houston
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:50 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| nightmare wrote: | | If people ask me what I run, i tell em gentoo. If that leaves them with a puzzled face, just mention linux, and then they'll get it. |
I think this is actually the best answer (or side-step, if you want). Lately, especially after hearing coworkers complain about the "splintering" of Linux and how it will hurt its acceptance, I've decided that it's best just to refer to distributions as if they were separate entities. People have no trouble distinguishing between, for example, Windows 2000, Windows 2000 Server, and Windows Me, so ideally they shouldn't have any trouble with Gentoo, SuSE (and SLES), Red Hat (and Fedora), etc.
"But wait," you might ask, "then what should the all-encompassing equivalent to 'Windows' or 'MacOS' be?" I'm kind of thinking there really isn't one on that level. Each distribution has its own philosophy of doing things, so naming the distribution is about as general as you can get without masking differences that shouldn't be masked. Of course, you can then emphasize that these distributions are in fact built with the same tools, and these tools include the Linux kernel along with software provided by GNU (and BSD and other sources).
But that's too much of answer for what was supposed to be a simple question, isn't it? Eh, I just say "Linux." 
_________________
Proud to be a... eh, forget it.
"Everyday is just one day." -- not the Traveling Wilburys |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pjp
Administrator
Joined: 16 Apr 2002
Posts: 17210
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 5:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Just Linux. Simply because RMS is militant about GNU/Linux. Linux is easier to say, too.
 @ RMS.
_________________
The whole system has to go. The modern criminal justice system is incompatible with Neuroscience. --Sapolsky |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
chunderbunny
Veteran
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 1281
Location: 51°24'27" N, 0°57'15" W
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 5:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Every time I see "RMS" mentioned I have to remind myself it doesn't stand for "Root Mean Square" |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Zaphod42
n00b
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 10
Location: Kanadia
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Gentoo |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
LucaSpiller
Apprentice
Joined: 10 Sep 2004
Posts: 188
Location: Censorship Land (aka England)
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:25 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Linux is much easier - and if you are talking to Windosey people they probably won't have a clue what you are on about if you say GNU/Linux, but may understand just Linux.
I think GNU/Linux is just for people who want to be correct about everything they say - for example you aren't going to go around saying Microsoft Windows all the time instead of just Windows (or whatever else you call it ).
Also Linux has been worked on by many thousands (is that a bit exagerated?) of people - it seems a bit unfair that one organisation has its name in the title but everyone else gets left out. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Athas
Guru
Joined: 04 Sep 2003
Posts: 394
Location: Brøndby, Denmark
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:40 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I always use GNU/Linux when writing, even to the point of calling Gentoo, Gentoo GNU/Linux, even though it's not the correct name. I believe the FSF requires acknowledgement for their technical as well as philosophical contributions. Basically, what we run is really nothing but GNU with a Linux kernel and a swanky package manager. 
In speech, though, I merely use "Linux" since saying "GNU/Linux" might instead come off as "GNU Linux," and I believe we can all agree that Linux is not a part of GNU.
_________________
Emacs-optimized danish console keymap - My .emacs
Climacs - next generation Emacs. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Stormy Eyes
Veteran
Joined: 09 Apr 2003
Posts: 1064
Location: Watching God spit-shine my boots.
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| pjp wrote: | Just Linux. Simply because RMS is militant about GNU/Linux. Linux is easier to say, too.
@ RMS. |
Besides, without Linux GNU would still be an OS without a kernel -- or as the HURD passed 1.0 yet? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
codergeek42
Bodhisattva
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 5142
Location: Anaheim, CA (USA)
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Stormy Eyes wrote: | | pjp wrote: | Just Linux. Simply because RMS is militant about GNU/Linux. Linux is easier to say, too.
@ RMS. |
Besides, without Linux GNU would still be an OS without a kernel -- or as the HURD passed 1.0 yet? |
The Hurd's site said a while back that it is as usable (has the same drivers/device support) as the 2.0 Linux kernel. *shrug*..I can't seem to find it now, and they are migrating to the L4 microkernel it looks like, so we may be in for a longer wait...
_________________
~~ Peter: Programmer, Mathematician, STEM & Free Software Advocate, Enlightened Agent, Transhumanist, Fedora contributor
Who am I? :: EFF & FSF |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pjp
Administrator
Joined: 16 Apr 2002
Posts: 17210
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| codergeek42 wrote: | | The Hurd's site said |
And as we know, you can always trust the manufacturer of a product to be completely honest and upfront.
How large is the HURD userbase? Does it run on 1/4th the amount of systems?
_________________
The whole system has to go. The modern criminal justice system is incompatible with Neuroscience. --Sapolsky |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
placeholder
Advocate
Joined: 07 Feb 2004
Posts: 2500
|
| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:29 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| I usually say Linux, but I often write/type it as GNU/Linux. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
codergeek42
Bodhisattva
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 5142
Location: Anaheim, CA (USA)
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:02 am Post subject: |
|
|
| pjp wrote: | | codergeek42 wrote: | | The Hurd's site said |
And as we know, you can always trust the manufacturer of a product to be completely honest and upfront. |
Of course!
_________________
~~ Peter: Programmer, Mathematician, STEM & Free Software Advocate, Enlightened Agent, Transhumanist, Fedora contributor
Who am I? :: EFF & FSF |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
geniux
Veteran
Joined: 19 Feb 2004
Posts: 1400
Location: /home
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:16 am Post subject: |
|
|
Linux when I talk about it and GNU/Linux when write/type it.
_________________
AMD Athlon64 X2 4200+ AM2
MSI K9N SLI Platinum, Enermax Liberty 500W
1GB RAM Crucial DDR2 667MHz, MSI nVidia 7600GS 256MB
400GB + 250GB Samsung SATAII HDD
Gentoo - BeyondSources 2.6.19-20 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
steel300
Veteran
Joined: 10 Jul 2003
Posts: 1155
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:06 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I don't think it matters what you call it. It's still the same thing. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Roguelazer
Veteran
Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Posts: 1233
Location: San Francisco, CA
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
Linux. I mean, if we're going to throw in GNU, we might as well throw in every other group that's contributed something. So let's just not and stick to the kernel. Besides, "Linux" is easier to pronounce then "Guh-new Slash Linux"
_________________
Registered Linux User #263260 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
pjp
Administrator
Joined: 16 Apr 2002
Posts: 17210
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
Moved from Gentoo Chat.
_________________
The whole system has to go. The modern criminal justice system is incompatible with Neuroscience. --Sapolsky |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
j-rock
n00b
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 62
Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Roguelazer wrote: | | "Linux" is easier to pronounce then "Guh-new Slash Linux" |
I agree. How about when you talk about cars, do you say ford mustang every time you talk about mustangs. Probably not, you're more likely to just say mustang. People still know what you are talking about.
I would also get annoyed with someone that kept saying GNU/Linux in conversation too. We're geeks, we shorten things by nature. rm || remove.
/rant
_________________
Does it also predict tomorrows lottery-numbers? -- Evangelion on The Bible
Reverse jesus crucified the entire roman empire. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
HydroSan
l33t
Joined: 04 Mar 2004
Posts: 764
Location: The Kremlin (aka Canada)
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
If I were to write a professional article on Linux, I would use GNU/Linux.
If I were talking to anybody, the non-savvy people would know what it is, and the people that do know already know what the GNU is, I would just use 'Linux'.
GNU/* is like adding 'Sir' or "Ma'am' in from of the name. It's formal, but you usually don't use it unless your in a formal setting.
_________________
I was a Gangster for Capitalism, by Major General Smedley Butler.
Server status: Currently down, being replaced with fresh install - 20% completed. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
Off the Wall
