-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA512 I find myself unable to comprehend what the discussion is about. Free systems are systems that preserve your four freedoms. GNU distributions are distributions that use GNU software. Linux distribution are distributions that use Linux. If there is no GNU or Linux, then there isn't any GNU or Linux, and that's that. Why would you call it GNU or Linux if it isn't?
In general, I find that being as specific as possible is useful. If you are talking about Gentoo, say Gentoo, don't say GNU, Linux, or GNU+Linux. As an aside, the problem of "the GNU+Linux operating system" (or as some say, which to me is nonsensical, GNU/Linux) is further complicated by disagreements on what constitutes an operating system. In school, and in all operating systems literature I have read as part of courses, Linux is an operating system. Not GNU. Not GNU+Linux. Linux is the operating system. But there's a big group of people who think that "Linux by itself doesn't do anything, so it isn't an operating system". However, this is in conflict with what academia means when they say "an operating system". Both groups would however likely agree that saying "Linux" to refer to Gentoo would be useless. But so would saying GNU, when there's tonnes of GNU distributions. Even GNU+Linux isn't good enough, since Gentoo can run with other kernels than Linux (and with enough hacking, probably without GNU too). So to sum up: Say Gentoo. Say Replicant. Say Android. They are all free distributions, and referring to them as GNU is doing them and GNU both a disservice. - -- Alexander [email protected] https://secure.plaimi.net/~alexander -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2 iQIcBAEBCgAGBQJXJ1vwAAoJENQqWdRUGk8BvR0QAOOk5o4TkM+JVf6qj2GcGYeb D7Ho8JT7pbsv2ppwILbhP1M7ux+zkWCUjIaaCLC6jkP1/Jo3a+0oEUGLIeE9h9vW ep8ueOBRgqfmvlLg1ltxThQYHHa9M6zh0HqXK96GYwDtAMYhZY9XohLrprm0NBbr 6wxqkOcY/GcSKabbi3puewGy2qhD5vHtR2ZjEGCjanJCuGt5cI5PQ12IhkTIpHoN 2lA5LqiXNihhpQVAU26Es/k6bTfgdmTa+L1tJFZDdPS017ZV0vVCAsLYqPa0NNn0 NTXYXgAFBOdunOMsIcBoey1100mVHtKlWfyMtkBWTdjgi9fDnMB9MtCg3si3t4kf 1SmIfJQn4DLG0mXYJtnZiWsbi76FjGKjnqLvldV8DwMprLiKQjxbzZa2cFKu+lcV cUxn2dPNtIcFWbzrNL7MsyJbHLw6rAUYl3k+TJuHmOmufVKq4z482//fAoBxf8Rt iQZKkX+GEtoeTD46L7TelThmjihI1RiOC209FYBWJYWwx2zluPKw7gunBS/bc67X 4rkpIliIHJxuhMiaeraDokK/TIUi5aOlJ9zM2rlFernT8NtTuTbZagFu0pJjfZxJ 9IdWOFlg4Cg+1pNCn8Bk4XMzJHFTV46BtGnPQ4tYaX9KNjoigQD43wgwDex/iZC1 YJ53PPQe9Sdjf9hDNdEX =b+M5 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
