Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 8 Mar 1996 19:21:19 -0500 (EST) | From | Harvey Fishman <> | Subject | Re: What is an OS (Was: Linux isn't an operating system) |
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On Thu, 7 Mar 1996, Ulrich Windl wrote:
> I think you are unfair here. What then is a filesystem? Only the code > to mount it? Usually the organization of files is also labelled > "filesystem" (the method you use to organize your files). It's a bit > uncommon to me, but "operating system" must be more than a kernel. If > in doubt, remove command.com from your DOS partition...
The cli (I guess that it is called a shell in Unix, but I learned about this long before I came anywhere near Unix) is hardly the thing that defines an O/S. Is Linux bash or csh or zsh? As a matter of fact, I did remove command.com from my DOS drive MANY years ago - I replaced it with 4dos.exe. Even DOS allows the cli to be changed. It is just another application program.
As you may have gathered, I am of the school that the O/S IS the kernel. But then I don't use a computer just to run an operating system; not much fun or value in that. I regard the O/S as just the hardware manager that enables me to run all those wonderful utility and application programs. Such as the GNU suite...
Harvey
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Harvey Fishman | fishman@panix.com | Sum, ergo cogito. 718-258-7276 |
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