Name: Anonymous 2007-03-31 8:51 ID:sV7RDOga
I believe the definition of the term 'Operating System' is the key to understanding the issue of the term 'GNU/Linux'. I was taught that an OS's purpose was to provide the basic platform for other software. I was taught that an OS should have the following functions:
1) Manage and maintain hardware resources and the interfaces to the hardware
2) Manage and maintain the processing of software applications (multitasking and memory management) as well as managing the communication between the software applications.
3)Provide a rudimentary "generic computing platform" for software applications to build upon and work with
These functions are important for an OS because without all these functions:
1) each program would be required to provide their own hardware manipulation routines
2) only one program would be able to operate at a time (this is a general statement and there are exceptions)
3) it would be really annoying to developers if each software application had to provide its own rudimentary general purpose functions (such as PRINT STATEMENT, OPEN FILE, QUICK SORT LIST).
Linux is a (POSIX compliant) operating system kernel that manages the end user applications. Together with hardware drivers, Linux also manages and maintains access to the hardware resources. GNU is an almost complete operating system - it is lacking a usable operating system kernel. The GNU libs together with a select number of GNU programs provide the generic computing platform that is required for end user software applications. I consider the rest of GNU to be end user software and not part of the definition of 'operating system'.
I consider software such as Open Office, KDE, Firefox, ls, top, less and tar to be end user software and not part of the operating system. I don't consider the X windowing system to be a part of the operating system. X is necessary as part of a usable computer system but I don't believe it is the same level as 'the operating system'. I believe that X is the next platform layer above the operating system if you disregard the video drivers (the drivers are part of the operating system).
Linux + drivers by itself does nothing particularly useful because end user programs aren't able to operate very well. The current GNU operating system implementation is not yet adequate enough to operate as a usable OS platform. GNU and Linux together provides the user with an OS; everything else can be considered as platforms that reside above the OS or be considered as end user software. Since Linux is vital part of the GNU/Linux operating system, it deserves a mention. Since GNU existed before Linux, I believe that it should be named first. This is why I prefer not to use "Linux" to refer to the GNU/Linux operating system platform.
In before:
GNAA/LUNUXX
GNU/HIPPIE
Preposterous Linux assumptions
recompile the kernel
coonix
www.opera.com
firefag
www.on.nimp.org
Yoshinoya variant
Vista AIDS
DISREGARD THAT I SUCK COCKS
1) Manage and maintain hardware resources and the interfaces to the hardware
2) Manage and maintain the processing of software applications (multitasking and memory management) as well as managing the communication between the software applications.
3)Provide a rudimentary "generic computing platform" for software applications to build upon and work with
These functions are important for an OS because without all these functions:
1) each program would be required to provide their own hardware manipulation routines
2) only one program would be able to operate at a time (this is a general statement and there are exceptions)
3) it would be really annoying to developers if each software application had to provide its own rudimentary general purpose functions (such as PRINT STATEMENT, OPEN FILE, QUICK SORT LIST).
Linux is a (POSIX compliant) operating system kernel that manages the end user applications. Together with hardware drivers, Linux also manages and maintains access to the hardware resources. GNU is an almost complete operating system - it is lacking a usable operating system kernel. The GNU libs together with a select number of GNU programs provide the generic computing platform that is required for end user software applications. I consider the rest of GNU to be end user software and not part of the definition of 'operating system'.
I consider software such as Open Office, KDE, Firefox, ls, top, less and tar to be end user software and not part of the operating system. I don't consider the X windowing system to be a part of the operating system. X is necessary as part of a usable computer system but I don't believe it is the same level as 'the operating system'. I believe that X is the next platform layer above the operating system if you disregard the video drivers (the drivers are part of the operating system).
Linux + drivers by itself does nothing particularly useful because end user programs aren't able to operate very well. The current GNU operating system implementation is not yet adequate enough to operate as a usable OS platform. GNU and Linux together provides the user with an OS; everything else can be considered as platforms that reside above the OS or be considered as end user software. Since Linux is vital part of the GNU/Linux operating system, it deserves a mention. Since GNU existed before Linux, I believe that it should be named first. This is why I prefer not to use "Linux" to refer to the GNU/Linux operating system platform.
In before:
GNAA/LUNUXX
GNU/HIPPIE
Preposterous Linux assumptions
recompile the kernel
coonix
www.opera.com
firefag
www.on.nimp.org
Yoshinoya variant
Vista AIDS
DISREGARD THAT I SUCK COCKS