“Linux” “Linux” “GNU/Linux” [gets thrown out the window]

  • Midnight Wolf@lemmy.worldEnglish
    92·
    2 months ago

    Mom says it’s my turn to paste it!

    I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

    Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

    There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!

        • kadup@lemmy.world
          1·
          2 months ago

          You realize there are Linux distributions that don’t use GNU software at all, right?

          • dan@literature.cafe
            2·
            2 months ago

            There is nothing as Linux distribution. There are GNU distributions which may or may not have Linux as their kernel, Like Ubuntu (Linux kernel) or Debian GNU/HURD (Mach Kernel) which all have a same repository and the same apps work on them.

            There are some other operating systems which may use Linux as their kernel too like Android, Tizen, etc. Which are completely separate things and has nothing to do with GNU (or what you falsely call Linux) and it’s apps.