Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

ody · 2002-12-15 11:27:05

do yah?

jk · 2002-12-15 12:05:32

The distribution does not consist only of GNU software. Let's call it Arch GNU/BSD/Netscape/X Consortium/$(everything i forgot to mention) Linux

these kind of things tend to cause nice (never-ending) discussions though

Ghost Dawg · 2002-12-16 01:54:39

What does Linus T. call it? :?

sarah31 · 2002-12-16 06:40:18

whats gnu? or for that matter what is this linux that everyone is always talking about?

ody · 2002-12-16 08:42:40

good point jk... heh

apeiro · 2002-12-16 18:54:32

It's true. If we wanted to give credit where credit was due, we would need a very long name and the Arch part would probably come last.

But I will see about adding the GNU part to the descriptive portions of the webpage, like the About area. They do deserve the recognition, and more.

Thanks, GNU!

ody · 2002-12-17 08:26:20

heh the poll wasnt about adding gnu to the arch brand name... was just a poll about gnu and linux.

dunbar · 2002-12-17 12:43:00

I gnu what it was, but I figured it's like saying 'bandaid' (a trademarked name) when you mean 'self adhesive bandage' or when you say 'Fridgidaire' or 'Kelvinator' when you meant 'Refrigerator': You implied something else by what you said.

Same thing when you say 'Linux'.

I think that all of the references to Linux implies a community of sources behind the tip of the iceberg; and agree with the philosophy of acknowledging the roots: 'Nice work' to all.

mordantly · 2002-12-17 19:26:16

heh. i dont really care what we call it. although the big cheeses behind the scenes that did the heavy lifting do deserve credit, keeping it in the GNU fashion i think is a sufficient credit. but whatever is done to the name, i support Arch all the same.

BluPhoenyx · 2002-12-23 23:22:39

Just a FWIW. You really can't name it 'Arch GNU Linux' unless all the official packages you release with it use the GNU license. The credit is a great idea though as many new users have no idea how much work the GNU folks went through to get things where they are today.

jlvsimoes · 2002-12-25 03:42:04

hello thanks for the great job on arch ( keep the name its cool )
now gnu/linux must remain gnu linux and my point off view is simple
it uses gnu open source software ( keep it like that )
and it uses the linux kernel not the gnu kernel (hurd if im not mistanken )
so like 2+2 equals 4 GNU/linux seems correct
im sorry for the bad speling

ps : im terrified if one day linux by some ( error ) became more and more dependent of closed source software
:shock:

jk · 2002-12-26 15:24:33

jlvsimoes: Arch includes more than alone GNU software...lots of BSD software in there too The operating system is called Linux, the distro Arch, so it should be Arch Linux imho

ody · 2002-12-28 19:05:33

but no, the operating system is not called linux, the kernel is called linux, its the only one piece of the system, everything else bolted on i.e. libs, xsystem, apps form the operating system.

jlvsimoes · 2003-01-30 12:16:15

jk sorry i did not read the post
its arch linux ok
but ... never the less its still gnu /
and the name that i call it as no ( point , reason )
wen i talk to mi friends about this distro i say
THE DISTRO

arnuld · 2007-12-10 16:20:38

jk wrote:

jlvsimoes: Arch includes more than alone GNU software...lots of BSD software in there too The operating system is called Linux, the distro Arch, so it should be Arch Linux imho

Aye.. Opertatin System is called GNU/Linux and Linux is the kernel and Arch is a GNU/Linux distro + some additional sofwtares.

peart · 2007-12-10 18:13:58

Did you wake this thread up so we could celebrate it's fifth birthday?

arnuld · 2007-12-10 18:25:13

peart wrote:

Did you wake this thread up so we could celebrate it's fifth birthday?

Oh.. I am so sorry, I did not even notice that date

but why it was sitting on the top of Forum page . actually, I only replied to the threads at the top (appearing to be latest )

I apologize for the mess I have made.

Cerebral · 2007-12-10 18:56:20

Happy fifth birthday, Thread!

Linux is the kernel. GNU is... not Unix. The most commonly used cmdline apps are frequently "GNU", which is why people like to advocate GNU/Linux, but meh. I could care less either way. I tell people I use Arch.

sm4tik · 2007-12-10 19:05:40

Cerebral wrote:

Happy fifth birthday, Thread!

oh my G.. as in GNU!

PJ · 2007-12-10 19:10:17

We are celebrating a bit to early but I guess those 5 days didn't count.
I wonder if there will some cake now... or perhaps a taco.

Happy birthday, Thread!

finferflu · 2007-12-10 19:57:27

The term GNU/Linux is not KISS
Come on, try to hold a discussion about "GNU/Linux" and see how you manage
I think it's just more practical to call it Linux, with all respect to the GNU project.

peart · 2007-12-10 21:00:19

finferflu wrote:

Come on, try to hold a discussion about "GNU/Linux" and see how you manage

Especially with a mouth full of cake and tacos.

jb · 2007-12-11 00:04:40

LOL, anyone else not notice the date of this thread until Sarah31's name popped up?

cactus · 2007-12-11 01:33:59

peart wrote:

finferflu wrote:
Come on, try to hold a discussion about "GNU/Linux" and see how you manage
Especially with a mouth full of cake and tacos.

tacos!?

Zerathidune · 2007-12-14 05:05:53

digging up an ancient thread by accident.. I've done that before. (on other forums)

here's my thoughts on the whole linux - GNU/Linux name thing.

I remember from reading the first section of "Free Software, Free Society" that it was originally planned that the gnu system would use existing free software wherever possible, to lighten the workload. For example, RMS decided he would use the X window system, and TeX, among others, since they qualified as free software despite not having been written for the gnu project. so the gnu system includes more than just gnu software.

because of this I think GNU/Linux is a silly title - why should Linux get special mention above all of the other packages on the operating system that are not gnu software? I refer you to jk's point at the beginning of the thread.

I think just calling the OS "The GNU System" or gnu, would be reasonable, except that a lot of people wouldn't know what you mean, because nobody actually calls it that.

I also think calling it just Linux is reasonable, because it is a widely accepted term that everybody understands. there really isn't much ambiguity, it's usually pretty clear when you're talking about the whole OS, and when you're talking about the kernel. People will nitpick at you more than they'll actually think your wording is confusing. The only person I've actually heard talking like he thinks the kernel is the whole OS is Linus Torvalds.

The term I use most typically is "Linux." calling it GNU/Linux in my experience doesn't really help people understand where it came from, and anyway, if I want someone to know about gnu, I will tell them about gnu, rather than tacking the word on to the front of the name of my OS.

Also, I think calling Arch "GNU/Linux" would be more inappropriate that usual, because tacking on gnu implies that the distro uses only free software, which is not true. we have proprietary packages in our repos and the aur. I maintain a package for BlueJ myself. To call Arch "GNU/Linux" would be misleading. It would imply we are an ideological distro, which we are not.

I think this may be the longest post I've written on this forum (not counting postings of config files and logs.)

Arch Linux

#1 2002-12-15 11:27:05

Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#2 2002-12-15 12:05:32

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#3 2002-12-16 01:54:39

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#4 2002-12-16 06:40:18

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#5 2002-12-16 08:42:40

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#6 2002-12-16 18:54:32

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#7 2002-12-17 08:26:20

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#8 2002-12-17 12:43:00

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#9 2002-12-17 19:26:16

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#10 2002-12-23 23:22:39

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#11 2002-12-25 03:42:04

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#12 2002-12-26 15:24:33

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#13 2002-12-28 19:05:33

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#14 2003-01-30 12:16:15

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#15 2007-12-10 16:20:38

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#16 2007-12-10 18:13:58

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#17 2007-12-10 18:25:13

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#18 2007-12-10 18:56:20

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#19 2007-12-10 19:05:40

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#20 2007-12-10 19:10:17

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#21 2007-12-10 19:57:27

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#22 2007-12-10 21:00:19

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#23 2007-12-11 00:04:40

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#24 2007-12-11 01:33:59

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

#25 2007-12-14 05:05:53

Re: Linux or GNU/Linux, do you know the difference?

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