Re: GNU/Linux Naming

[mike3]

On Dec 5, 4:48 am, "Noah Slater" <nsla...@bytesexual.org> wrote:
> On 05/12/2007, mike3 <mike4...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > I do not understand why *names* are the
> >appropriate place to give credit. What's the reason, anyway?
>
> For the same reason that calling an Aston Martin DB9 a "Ford VH
> platform" would be inaccurate. While the Ford VH platform is used to
> make the car, it only comprises a small part of it.
>

Why not call it an "Aston Martin DB9/Ford VH", then? <giggle>

It seems then there is an alternative (or not?) viewpoint here: the
reason for "GNU/Linux" is because the system's _composition_
is mostly of "GNU", not "Linux". Maybe it's better from that view,
however the one I was having trouble with was the idea that not
calling it "GNU/Linux" is somehow _not giving credit_ to the GNU
project, _and_ that the appropriate way to give credit is to put
"GNU" in the _name_. Why is that, exactly? Or have I missed
something here?

> Sure, Linux is the common phrase used to describe the operating
> system, but similarly most people say they are browsing the Internet.
> Both are technically wrong and as geeks we should be able to
> distinguish between common usage and correct usage.
>

So then why insist that the name used commonly _should_ be
GNU/Linux?

> Of course, the proper name for the operating system is GNU and Linux
> provides one of it's kernels. The combination of these two words is
> GNU/Linux. If you used Sun's kernel you would call the system
> GNU/Solarix and if you used the BSD operating system (as an
> alternative to GNU) you would be running BSD/Solarix.
>

What about GNU/BSD where you run the GNU stuff with a
BSD kernel?

Also, what's the rub on "GNU/Hurd" when the Hurd kernel *is* GNU?
It should just be "GNU"!

> There are many different variations "out there" and they all have
> different names. If you're running Debian/Ubuntu/Gentoo/RedHat/Suse
> you're probably running a GNU/Linux system. If you're running OS X
> then you're technically running a Darwin/XNU system.
>

So then why not call the MacOS X a Darwin/XNU, then?
Is it also possible to make a Darwin/GNU system?

> Oh, and the proper thing to say would be "I'm browsing the WWW."
>
> [1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin_DB9
>
> --
> Noah Slater <http://bytesexual.org/>
>
> "Creativity can be a social contribution, but only in so
> far as society is free to use the results." - R. Stallman