2006/10/10, Abhishek Choudhary <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Well why not "Linux/GNU" instead of "GNU/Linux"? Is it some age factor? :)
All right, if you use Hurd then probably only GNU or Hurd/GNU! To be
clear, show me one machine that runs vanilla "GNU". Amusing right - you
might think I am a novice who does not know why one needs a kernel! If
_you_ do understand the need for a kernel then why emphasize that GNU is
an "Operating System" instead of claiming it to be what it actually is - a
wonderful "toolchain".
GNU is an operating system, and that is why the prooject talks of
everything:kernel+userland+toolchain+desktop etc., GNU project is a
comprehensive project. The kernel is still taking the first steps,
falling now and then, the toddler way. This project did not start
now, but in 1984. Why do you say it is JUST a tool chain, when you
know that without it no free software can be made, maintained and
distributed free. If you use 'JUST a x' to a dispensable thing, you
may be right. Prove that it is dispensable. Kernel is indispensable,
so we embrace all free kernels.
Well then GNU is indeed dependent on Linux, just as the latter is
dependent on it. Lets call a chair a chair and a table a table.
that is why I called it symbiosis. we are not those who excluded it,
the others did so. So tell them dependable core things cannot be
excluded.
Then why does GPL tend to restrict it? Why are non-English versions of GPL
not officially available? (correct me if this is novice Q) Why does GPL
not address the issues regarding localisation? Why does GPL take away ones
rights to actually write prorietary code derived from it?
Suicidal! Because, that kills freedom of others, and does not preserve
the existing freedom. If we dont preserve existing GPL code, it does
not stay, grow, multiply, and inherit. The restriction in GPL is
intended to protect freedom from evaporating. Invention of copyleft
is one of the greatest hacks of the last century, which made all this
possible. Growth of freedom is possible only in a copyleft culture.
In short, to protect the freedom.
(Forgive me if I
have touched on a painful nerve) There are numerous commercial software
vendors who use GNU software in their commercial stuff. For instance HP-
UX. All of us who have used it know the extent to which GNU is a part of
HP-UX. It suits HP's model. They are a hardware vendor, and make money
from hardware more than they do from software. However, think of a small
time developer. An individual who has his aspiations, dreams, wishes, and
a word in his heart which reads like "freedom". If he were to develop a
very niche piece of software, he would be forced to make public his source
code because he cannot use commercial tool-chain, and is therefore left
with GNU, which implies his code falls under the GPL license. Now whose
freedom are we talking about???
I am not clear. If he is the original author of the program, then he
is free to decide. Please read
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html
Please! Lets talk freedom - freedom as in free, lest freedom becomes the
next f-word! Look at the 95% of our population to whom all of this
discussion just does not make any sense. No not because it is not
relevant, but because it is in English!
That is why, let us work hard to localize all applications to Indian
languages, then 65% people will have potential access.
it!!!!!! Still not. Come on get down to producing some real work now.
Probably instead of keying in useless comments and counter comments,
concentrate on keying in at least a few lines of code. You will certainly
be helping FSF a lot more that way. And indeed if you also do something
for the 95% (which many of you involved in Indic localisation are actually
doing), then trust me you will also have done a lot of good
towards "Freedom".
You are right, that is why I contribute to Indic-computing, as well as
to another GNU project (GNOWSYS). Other projects that I contribute to
are gnowledge.org, gnoware.org, the Indic fonts (Gargi, Samyak) and
supervising several others. There are others in this list too who are
active contributors.
True, working is more fun.
Nagarjuna
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