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I'd just like to interject for moment. What you're refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux i

I'd just like to interject for moment. What you're refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I've recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX. Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project. There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine's resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux! (https://www.lurkmore.com/view/GNU/Linux_interjection https://www.lurkmore.com/view/GNU/Linux_interjection)

johnr2 6y ago
> All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux! s/All/Most Alpine Linux uses musl libc and busybox, for example.
twojacobtwo 6y ago
Thank you for the excellent explanation! I have always referred to Linux as an operating system and I will be more careful with that nuance. I was one of today's 10,000 [0]. [0] https://xkcd.com/1053/ https://xkcd.com/1053/ (Ten Thousand)
- Alekhine 6y ago
  You're being trolled. The comment you replied to is a copy paste of an oft-mocked post made by Richard Stallman. People post it in Linux threads to make fun of his pedantry and his perceived bitterness over Linux becoming the dominant kernel over GNU Hurd
  - twojacobtwo 6y ago
    Apologies for the late response, but thank you for letting me know!
zepto 6y ago
This just isn’t really true from a linguistic point of view any more. Most people use Linux to mean one of many full operating system distributions, and then refer to the kernel as ‘the Linux kernel’. Gnu gets referred to in relation to the many tools. That’s just how the language has worked out. The comment is certainly true in terms of who contributed various components, although many distributions do increasingly contain critical components that have nothing to do with GNU.
- Alekhine 6y ago
  You're being trolled. The comment you replied to is a copy paste of an oft-mocked post made by Richard Stallman. People post it in Linux threads to make fun of his pedantry and his perceived bitterness over Linux becoming the dominant kernel over GNU Hurd.
  - zepto 6y ago
    Troll successful! I knew it was Stallman’s bitterness. I just didn’t know it was a copy/paste!

johnr2 6y ago

> All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux! s/All/Most Alpine Linux uses musl libc and busybox, for example.

twojacobtwo 6y ago

Thank you for the excellent explanation! I have always referred to Linux as an operating system and I will be more careful with that nuance. I was one of today's 10,000 [0]. [0] https://xkcd.com/1053/ https://xkcd.com/1053/ (Ten Thousand)

Alekhine 6y ago
You're being trolled. The comment you replied to is a copy paste of an oft-mocked post made by Richard Stallman. People post it in Linux threads to make fun of his pedantry and his perceived bitterness over Linux becoming the dominant kernel over GNU Hurd
- twojacobtwo 6y ago
  Apologies for the late response, but thank you for letting me know!

zepto 6y ago

This just isn’t really true from a linguistic point of view any more. Most people use Linux to mean one of many full operating system distributions, and then refer to the kernel as ‘the Linux kernel’. Gnu gets referred to in relation to the many tools. That’s just how the language has worked out. The comment is certainly true in terms of who contributed various components, although many distributions do increasingly contain critical components that have nothing to do with GNU.

Alekhine 6y ago
You're being trolled. The comment you replied to is a copy paste of an oft-mocked post made by Richard Stallman. People post it in Linux threads to make fun of his pedantry and his perceived bitterness over Linux becoming the dominant kernel over GNU Hurd.
- zepto 6y ago
  Troll successful! I knew it was Stallman’s bitterness. I just didn’t know it was a copy/paste!