Re: [Fsfe-uk] Why FS is a Good Thing

[Imran Ghory]

On Tue, 12 Mar 2002, MJ Ray wrote:

> Imran Ghory <address@hidden> wrote:
> >  I would be perfectly happy if the text said "GNU Utilities" or whatever,
> > but GNU/Linux is recognized by the name of Linux whether we like it or
> > not. Maybe we should in the main text call it Linux and attach a footnote
> > along the lines of "Linux is also sometimes known as GNU/Linux due to the
> > large amount of utilities supplied by the GNU project". 
> 
> Careful, your bias is showing.  s/also sometimes/more properly/

I'm not really biased against the name GNU/Linux, I just think it's
inappropriate in this location.

(For instance in the Nupedia thread on Linux I argued in favour of using
the term GNU/Linux,
http://www.nupedia.com/newsystem/ordiscuss_1.phtml?arean=compsci&id=573 )

> You'll be wanting us to use US spelling next, because more people speak US
> English... ;^)  Is this about how things *are* or how they *should be*?  I
> think there's a fine line to tread here between educating and accepting the
> status quo.  

If we were explaining to people in the US then yes we should use US
English. We should avoid trying to confuse our audience, and I think the
"GNU/" confuses. I think that Linux as a name is here to stay, and trying
to get GNU/Linux recognized as the name would be a waste of efforts best
spent elsewhere.

(See for yourself, ask some pseudo-random people what they recognize by
the name "Linux" and what they think "GNU/Linux" is)

I have no objection if something like the following was used,

The term Linux is used to refer to the Operating System made by combining
the Linux Kernel with GNU Project utilities.  

> > Yes, but when people say GNU/Linux they're not reffering to apps like
> > Gnome.
> 
> I am.  What would you think I was talking about?  Seriously, this is
> interesting...

Things which are the core of an OS, system resource managing software,
file system software, compiler/assembler. Basically utilities rather then
apps.

Imran