Hi. (Sorry if this is xposted to too many groups, I didn't know which ones were most suitable :( Please tell me which ones are if I got any of these wrong.)
Why can't GNU systems, BSD systems, etc. be called "unix systems" in everyday conversational language? How does The Open Group's ownership of the UNIX(R) trademark trample on our ability to use "unix systems" in everyday conversational English? It may trample on the ability to sell or advertise such systems as "Unix systems", but that's not the point, I'm talking about conversational English here -- UNofficial names, not official branding. Is the US Government, and perhaps those of other countries, (maybe even international treaty!) actually capable of regulating the language like that? Although GNU stands for "GNU's Not Unix", which it isn't as in it's not officially UNIX(R) as certified by The Open Group, why can't I throw it under the envelope of "unix systems" in common speech? Why do we have to use contrivances like "Unix-like", "*nix", "UN*X", "*N*X*", "u*x" or whatever, like just lumping it all under the simple term "unix systems" is going to get one into trouble? I, personally, do not think a government should be able to control the language in this way. "Unix" is not some dirty word -- yes it has four letters, but that shouldn't make it dirty, and trademarking has to do, or at least _should_ have to do, with the names one markets a product under, not what names we should choose to use to refer to something in our everyday speech. _______________________________________________ gnu-misc-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnu-misc-discuss
