[GNUz] GNU/Linux ...

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My reading into the issue is still too formative to take on the bigger, 
wider license issues properly, but..

For the world I know (PC users who could be using "Linux"), it's a 
matter of market situation - does the community own the name, or does 
Big Blue/Business (for e.g. among several incl. Novell)? I will be 
expanding the argument on CLUG-list asap, but to abbreviate, GNU/Linux 
is the name that ensures the developer community does. That is, we must 
retain the momentum of "Linux" through clarifying GNU/Linux as early in 
the product cycle as possible. This is largely about branding & 
'propaganda', but it is education we are on the side of, not politics 
(though they are not separable).

This is not about egos or sour grapes, and there is no 'must; either - 
"Linux" is the one product ready to GPL knowledge itself - hence it's 
significance in the GNU(/Linux) drive .

hth

Rik

Jim Cheetham wrote:

> From the FSF/GNU web pages, we find this reasonable comment :-
>
> <quote>
> http://www.gnu.org/gnu/why-gnu-linux.html
> People who know they are using a system that came out of the GNU 
> Project can see a direct relationship between themselves and GNU. They 
> won't automatically agree with our philosophy, but at least they will 
> see a reason to think seriously about it. In contrast, people who 
> consider themselves "Linux users", and believe that the GNU Project 
> "developed tools which proved to be useful in Linux", typically 
> perceive only an indirect relationship between GNU and themselves. 
> They may just ignore the GNU philosophy when they come across it.
> </quote>
>
> Here's a provocative question for you - given the above statement, 
> shouldn't RMS be pushing for *everyone who chooses the GPL* to be 
> referred to as "GNU/<name>" ?
>
> Picking solely on Linux as the recipient of "you must mention GNU" 
> comments sounds too much like sour grapes. Perhaps the GPL should have 
> included an advertising clause, like the BSD licenses?
>
> -jim
>
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GNU/Linux Users - charting the course
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