There's still some pretty critical components that are used by almost all Linux systems: GNU libc, gcc (+ associated stuff, like binutils, gdb, make, etc), core

There's still some pretty critical components that are used by almost all Linux systems: GNU libc, gcc (+ associated stuff, like binutils, gdb, make, etc), coreutils (+ associated stuff, like bash, grep, tar, etc.), and GRUB. Even systems like Alpine and OpenBSD use some of that. And there's a bunch of stuff that's not "critical" but is fairly widely used: gettext, gawk, nano, gpg, parted, R, Emacs. I agree with your broader point that GNU is "just" one component out of many and "it should be GNU/Linux/X11/Perl/..." is an old criticism of "GNU/Linux", but the GNU components are certainly more than "terminal utilities for copying files". Stallman gives GNU too much credit, but you're giving it (far) too little. GNU does not seem to be acquiring new projects at a great rate though, and does seem to be losing influence. The goal of a functional "GNU operating system" is further away than ever because much of it is focused on creating Unix circa 1989, which is not very "functional" for most people's meaning of that term. One reason for this is that there's not much advantage to being a "GNU project" because it offers very little in material support and risks Stallman coming in and badgering you if you're doing "unethical" things such as merely recognizing the reality that non-free software exists. (GNU did have a modern desktop environment in GNOME by the way, but Stallman spent 15 years alienating the GNOME developers until they got fed up with him)