[GNUz] GNU/Linux ...

[Jim Cheetham]

InfoHelp wrote:
> One day, I imagine, we could get both Linus & RMS sitting down together 
> to forge a new name/brand for the 'Revolution OS' - and it wouldn't 

The combination of "GNU software" and "the Linux kernel" will not make a 
useable operating system. There are lots of GNU software packages 
around, but not enough to make anything significantly better than a 
developer's workstation.

As a superset :-
"Open Source" software plus "the Linux kernel", where "Open Source" 
means "GNU project, plus everything else" *does* make a decent OS. 
Debian (and possibly Gentoo, I expect so but don't know for sure).

As a larger superset :-
"Available Free Of Charge" software plus "Open Source & Linux" makes a 
much more "end user/beginner" OS - Mandrake free distribution.

As an even larger subset :-
"Not very expensive" software plus the above, makes the "professional 
edition" versions of Mandrake, RedHat, SuSE and so on - generally 
regarded as the "best" for non-expert end users.

And finally, jumping the shark in terms of end-user suitability :- 
"Microsoft". 'Nuff said.

I compromise down at the Debian end of life, pretty much any Open Source 
license (including BSD, which does not prevent a commercial entity from 
taking a copy, modifying it, and charging large fees, giving *nothing* 
back to the original developer. Isn't that more free than the GPL?)

I also occasionally spend real money on a piece of software that suits 
my needs better than Open Source, or Free. I've registered the Opera 
browser, a couple of games, I bought Quake ...

Using the term "GNU/Linux" for a distribution implies strongly that GNU 
plus Linux is all that's necessary. I don't believe that's true for 
anyone except RMS himself. I admire his strength of character and 
commitment to his ideals (he won't watch DVDs or listen to MP3 music, 
because there is no "free/libre" software that does that), I just don't 
100% agree with them.

-jim