that old GNU/Linux argument

Les Mikesell lesmikesell at gmail.com
Mon Jul 21 17:19:06 UTC 2008


Björn Persson wrote:
> Les Mikesell wrote:
>> I'm not sure there is an anti-GNU/Linux factor - just a pro "the other
>> 85%" of the distro unwilling to give  unfair naming rights.
> 
> Are you sure that there really are people who want to include those 85% in 
> GNU/Linux? I'm not. I have now seen several people state that "the whole 
> thing" is Linux, but I haven't yet seen anyone state that "the whole thing" 
> is GNU/Linux.

The other 85% has nothing to do with GNU, and is usually the driving 
force behind people bothering to install the GNU portions at all.  That 
is, I don't install a system so I can run cp or tar or the other minor 
infrastructure components, I install it to run some useful applications. 
  So it's not so much wanting to include the names of all the more 
attractive applications in the distribution name as not seeing any 
reason to glorify minor components that, after all, have their own 
distribution anyway if anyone is interested in them on their own merits.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
     lesmikesell at gmail.com




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