Hello Swair Mehta, On 8/26/06, swair mehta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > i have heard that linux being a freeware os is distributed free.
Linux is just a small component(yes of course very important) of the system called the kernel. There are several other things that make up the system. Hence called GNU/Linux. "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 a combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU, with Linux functioning as its kernel." http://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html Freeware and Free Software are two completely different terminologies. Free Software is a matter of Freedom. Freedom not only to developers but also to end users. 'Free' here does not mean or relate to cost. http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html For a detailed philosophy visit http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/ Freeware is made available free of Charge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware GNU/Linux is 'Free' Software and *not* Freeware. Regards. -- Aanjhan ---------------------------------- a.k.a Tuxmaniac Locations: #ubuntu-in, #linux-india, #gnu-india @irc.freenode.net CyberHome: http://www.tuxmaniac.com ---------------------------------- -- ubuntu-in mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-in
