I think RMS has a point. What if someone makes a GNU/Linux distro but fails to include the "Linux" part? Red Hat GNU Operating System? Mandrake GNU? GNUdows? Would be unfair to Linus (and other kernel hackers) since it ignores a large (in terms of bytes) and essential part of the system. (Plus, no one would do that since "Linux" is currently more marketable than "GNU".)
It rankles me how people like to make jokes about RMS. It's like making jokes about freedom. Maybe in the future, the majority of people will finally accept that software (and scientific knowledge in general) is a part of the "commons" to which every person has a right. Until then, the future of software freedom is tenuous. (Technically, free software is superior (of course, everyone agrees, right?), but the battle has moved to legality and ideology. Free software is "communist", "anti-capitalist", "friendly to terrorists" and most importantly "harmful to the market"). He isn't "requiring" that distro's be called GNU/Linux, just asking. Ok, he's asking persistently. Yes, very persistently. Give the man his due. Considering what he's done single-handedly, hacking Lisp, hacking Emacs, hacking gcc, starting the FSF, maybe what he's asking is reasonable. Maybe he even deserves some dictatorial powers? If you don't like the "-gnu" why don't you modify automake and autoconf? You have that freedom. Pablo Manalastas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >In the documentary "Revolution OS" we see Richard Stallman >insisting that the Linux distributions be called >GNU/Linux distributions, and that the term "free" software >is the proper term instead for "open source" software. > >He, in fact, "enforces" this nomenclature like a dictator >when you use the GNU tools like "configure" and "gcc". >For example, when I do a configure, I always include the >options "--host=i386-admu-linux" and "--build=i386-admu-linux" >but the configure script always converts these to >"--host=i386-admu-linux-gnu" (see the appended "-gnu"?) >and "--build=i386-admu-linux-gnu". Talk about "freedom". > >The truth of the matter is, most distributions, not just >AdmuLinux, use not only the Linux kernel and GNU utilities, >but a lot of other non-GNU packages like Apache, Sendmail, >Xfree86, pine, perl, etc. In fact, the most important >applications are NON-gnu! So to require that Linux >distributions be called GNU/Linux is dictatorial on the part >of RMS. > >Of course, gcc is GNU, and without gcc, there would not have >been Linux. > >I think distro makers should be free to call their distros >linux-distros, not gnu/linux-distros. > >PMana > >P.S. If you liked the song of the open-source movement at the >end of the movie, you must be either c---y or a hacker! He he :) > __________________________________________________________________ Your favorite stores, helpful shopping tools and great gift ideas. Experience the convenience of buying online with Shop@Netscape! http://shopnow.netscape.com/ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ _ Philippine Linux Users Group. Web site and archives at http://plug.linux.org.ph To leave: send "unsubscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to the Linux Newbies' List: send "subscribe" in the body to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
