------- Forwarded message -------
From: Louis Richards
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 -- Using M2, Opera's revolutionary e-mail client: http://www.opera.com/m2/