Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation

[Jean Louis]

Dear Akira,

あなたのメッセージは大歓迎です. Welcome.

* Akira Urushibata <afu@wta.att.ne.jp> [2019-11-08 05:27]:
> Observing recent events I notice that prejudice is at work.  Prejudice
> is often invisible and hard to identify.  But it does harm to society,
> especially when it is widespread.  When we sense that prejudice exists
> we are forced to drop the assumption that people are thinking and
> acting rationally.  Few people enjoy being told that they are acting
> irrationally.  Most people don't like to admit that they are affected
> by prejudice.  Prejudice exists nowhere but in people's minds but the
> very minds that harbor it tend to refuse to accept that it exists.

It is more than prejudice, it is mob justice and conduct of illegal
acts based on prejudices and political correctness. Punishment without
trial.

> It is wrong to hold the victim of prejudice responsible for the
> problems prejudice and consequential actions bring about.  Such blame
> won't solve the problems.  On the other hand the victim of prejudice
> must understand that it exists if he or she wants to improve the
> situation.

Exactly. Thank you.

> Before discussing recent events I would like to tackle an issue that
> all subscribers are aware of: Why do most people say 'Linux' instead
> of 'GNU/Linux'?  I understand that prejudice plays an important role
> in this long-standing problem.  I'd like to share this insight with
> you in the hope that it will have an enlightening effect and
> ultimately lead to new approaches of coping with vexing problems we
> have at hand now.

Some people use "Linux" for simple fact that it was marketed that
way. SuSE Linux, Red Hat Linux, Mandrake Linux and so on. Rarely some
company gave the due credit to GNU in their namings.

People who adopted "Linux" as such still have chance to find out about
the GNU. It is very intertwined.

> The problem with the term GNU/Linux is that it requires the
> understanding that the operation system is not one single program but
> rather a collection of programs with distinct functions.  The casual
> computer user rejects the term for it goes against his vague but
> persistent assumption that an operating system should be one single
> thing.

If you ask me, theoretically, I would be very happy with one
environment that plays well together, such as it is GNU Emacs or
similar programming language environment that jumps out upon the boot
and that I stay as user in that environment. I tend actually to seek
such unified operating system.

Would we be as well organized ants, or superorganism, we would create
very unified system which could be probably 1000 times more efficient
than what we have now.

We are not ants, we are pretty much individuals who work independently
and we created bunch of software which is necessary and useful and
bunch that is not necessary and not useful.

> The opponents of GNU/Linux can easily shoot it down.

That is being done in a kind manner to educate and teach people what
is GNU and what is Linux, as those Linux users are often GNU users not
knowing about it.

That is why articles are promoted such as:

https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.en.html

and

https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html

and

https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-users-never-heard-of-gnu.en.html

> It is not my intention to state that the term GNU/Linux will never
> be widely adopted and to urge GNU supporters to reckon that the effort
> is fruitless and should be terminated.  My message is that through
> careful observation of the current situation new approaches can be found,
> ones that won't easily be dismissed as politically-charged.

For GNU and Linux subjects, do you feel that it is much politically
charged?

I have not get that feeling. In my opinion it is simply good to do
what Linux community did for many users, creating Linux User Groups or
LUGs.

Back in time there was bunch of HOW-TO documents written to help with
GNU/Linux.

See: https://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/User-Group-HOWTO.html

Such document always mentioned GNU/Linux. Linux community was always
welcoming GNU and in general understood what is GNU and what is
GPL. Freedom is of importance for Linux community.

Same document could be reworked to form GNU Free Software Clubs.

I would not call them "GNU User Groups".

I would call such "GNU Free Software Club". It is my personal
preference and I will devise a project how to open and start such
clubs and will share it.

Such clubs should have already at least 3 computers ready and
installed. It should have all of the FSF endorsed GNU operating
systems ready to install for other people and it should offer
installations and distribution of GNU Free Software.

One GNU Emacs Manual or other manuals shall be accessible at all times
in the club, and free software philosophy articles shall be presented
continually every week to new public. And they could contribute to
current FSF campaigns.

What do you think of that?

Jean