Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 07 Jan 1999 13:48:12 -0800 | From | Steven Roberts <> | Subject | Re: [OFFTOPIC] Gnumenclature was Re: IBM, was never Re: Linux Kernel |
| |
Jamie Lokier wrote: > Well GNU started GCC and paid for much of its development until > recently, so I would say it is their project. They also own the > copyright on GCC and much of the other "GNU" utils, by dint of legal > papers signed by the authors. > > Also, even though most of the recent GCC work didn't come from the FSF, > it builds on older work that did, and much of the older work is still in > use today. > > GCC certainly wouldn't exist without RMS & GNU. Something else would, I > daresay. IMO, without GNU, Linux (the system) would feel very different > and be much further behind technologically than it is. Even if actual > GNU code is "only" 35% of the system now. IMO, the original GNU project > has been entirely successful. > > -- Jamie
One point, that if mentioned already I missed, is that IMO the reverse is true as well. Without Linux, GNU would not be where it is today. With the advent of Linux, the userbase of GNU software jumped by leaps and bounds. As such the quality improved as the code was exercised by far more people and bugs were found faster. gcc and Linux built off of each other.
So yes, Linux does owe GNU credit more helping it along. But GNU also owes a lot to Linux. Of course if you look at one of my primary linux box uses these days (router/web server/nameserver) a more correct name would be Apache/GNU/ISC/Linux :). I guess I don't feel much sympathy for the GNU marketing effort these days. I used endorse GNU heavily. Then I read a few of the "docs" on the site talking about GNU coding mentality -- ticked me off royally. the comments about emacs vs. vi were pretty bad. sure emacs has a lot of benefits over vi, but to call vi so useless that it would be unthinkable not to replace it didn't seem too objective...
Anyways... there are a lot of people and a lot of organizations that have contributed to the success Linux is today. GNU is one of them, but there are others too. Let's spend our energies on banging out code or writing docs or testing... instead of fighting each other. I personally like to direct my anger towards Redmond :)
Regards, Steve
- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
| |