hi all came across an interesting article which says argues that its unfair to call most of the gnu/linux distros "gnu/linux" http://atulchitnis.net/writings/gnulinux.php the author is atul chitnis, who else... the veiws expressed are not mine, so plz dont flame me gurpreet
Gurpreet Singh Student Final Yr Computer Sc. & Engg. --------------------------------------------------------------------- M A K E Y O U R O W N R O A D --------------------------------------------------------------------
- from the article:
By calling it "GNU/Linux", you are giving credit to GNU, which *is* a part contributor to the distribution, but by no stretch of imagination the *only* (or even the largest) one.
GNU can be considered the largest contributor. Here you're comparing GNU software with *all* non-GNU open source software that comes with a distro. But it's quite possible that no _single_ group (Apache etc.) contributes as much as GNU. If that is the case, then GNU *is* the largest contributor.
It's unfair to compare GNU with everything non-GNU put together.
BTW I still feel Linux is a sexy name ;) Sounds better than any other OS name out there.
Manish
hi all came across an interesting article which says argues that its unfair to call most of the gnu/linux distros "gnu/linux" http://atulchitnis.net/writings/gnulinux.php the author is atul chitnis, who else... the veiws expressed are not mine, so plz dont flame me gurpreet
Gurpreet Singh
My thoughts on the topic.......
Apache is a server which runs on an OS. In the same way an MTA like sendmail.
These are not GNU but is that part of an OS?
What I understand of an OS is (a) the kernel and (b) basic utils.
Servers like Apache and sendmail don't need to necessarily run on every desktop / workstation. Where as the GNU tools and Linux kernel needs to be on any and every computer.
So I feel that GNU/Linux is valid. (See below)
Example of some servers: - web server: apache - ftp server: wu-ftpd, ncftpd, proftpd - smtp server: sendmail, exim, qmail
OS = kernel + utils - kernel : linux - shell : bash (GNU) - fileutils : chgrp, chmod, chown, cp, dd, df, ln, ls, mkdir, mknod, mv, rm, rmdir, sync, touch, dir, dircolors, du, inst, all, mkfifo, shred, vdir (GNU) - compression, backup and archive: tar, gzip, etc. (GNU) - standard libraries: glibc (GNU) . . .
Can a device work on apache and the linux kernel only?
If yes, then I didn't know that and stand corrected.
If no, then I guess I have a point. ;-)
hi all came across an interesting article which says argues that its unfair to call most of the gnu/linux distros "gnu/linux" http://atulchitnis.net/writings/gnulinux.php the author is atul chitnis, who else... the veiws expressed are not mine, so plz dont flame me gurpreet
Gurpreet Singh
I decided to ask the man himself on this topic and here is what he said
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I will send mail to fetch the contents of that page, but knowing Atul Chitnis, I would guess he is arguing against the term "GNU/Linux", using arguments whose fallacies are rather transparent. I have seen him do that before.
I suggest you look at http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html and see how it deals with the arguments Chitnis makes. If you see an argument that isn't handled in gnu-linux-faq.html, could you let me know? <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I've not got thru the link completely but this question answers the issue.
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Gurpreet Singh -
Manish Jethani -
Rishi Gangoly