Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (4237 mails)

[Gene Holmerud <geneous@xxxxxxx>]

------- Forwarded message -------
From: Louis Richards <louis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: suse-linux-e@xxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [SLE] Linux version
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 13:45:54 -0400

> Leendert Meyer wrote:
>
> > <SNIP>
> >
> > BTW, it's GNU/Linux, not just plain Linux. ;)
>
> Question:
> What's GNU?
>
> Answerer:
> Not much ... What's GNU with you?
>
> With apologies,
> Louis
OK, time for a straight answer, and to clear this up.  "GNU" is an acronym 
for GNU's Not Unix.

Note the recursive (circular) definition.  I'm sure it was picked to be a 
reflection of a powerful programing technique.

Actually the effort we refer to as GNU was going well before Linus posted 
his beta version.  It was an open writing of all of the commands and 
utilities that makes Unix tick, and therefore, not owned by AT&T, et. al.  
Linux was the central part of the OS (kernel) that made a complete break 
from Unix ownership, licensing, etc.

Linux vs. GNU/Linux is an argument in how history should look at it, and 
maybe a lawyer or two (come to think of it, they should be history, too).

Hardly a humble opinion,
Gene



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