View Source: GNU - Waikato Linux Users Group

Edit PageHistory Diff Info LikePages
[Recursive | RecursiveAcronym] [Acronym] for [GNU]'s Not [Unix], a project working on the [GNU] OperatingSystem.

The [GNU] Project was founded by RichardStallman in 1984 to create a complete, completely [Free] OperatingSystem, [GNU], based on the [UNIX] design but not strictly following it – its developers strive to improve on the original Unix designs. Development on the [GNU] system started with UserSpace software because you needed a free toolchain (compilers, linkers, assemblers etc.) to create an OperatingSystem. A benefit of this approach is being able to develop, test and run the programs on existing Unix systems. This helped to ensure all of the software could be used as a drop in replacement for existing Unix software, where neccessary. By about 1990, most of the OperatingSystem was developed, short of a decent [Kernel]. (They had small, crude kernels they used for development but nothing stable.) The [GNU] project developers were waiting for [Mach] to be released as FreeSoftware before they started working on [TheHurd], which was supposed to be a collection of servers that ran over the [Mach] microkernel to provide a Unix-like [Kernel].

Further delays with Mach and technical problems debugging Hurd set development back severely. In the meantime, LinusTorvalds started developing a small Unix-like kernel called [Linux] with the intention of making an OperatingSystem. (Linus took the opposite approach to the [GNU] project by starting on the [Kernel]). The Linux community began making [Linux] versions of [GNU] packages, but it took a while before any real cooperation took place in combining [GNU] and [Linux] (possibly due to poor communication, etc). With a little bit of glue, the LinuxKernel filled the gap in the [GNU] system and allowed people to run a complete [Free] OperatingSystem.

The GNU Project requests that the OperatingSystem be called [GNU]/[Linux] as opposed to just [Linux] (or just [GNU]); to quote the [GNU/Linux FAQ | http://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html]:

> Most operating system distributions based on Linux as kernel are basically modified versions of the GNU operating system. We began developing GNU in 1984, years before Linus Torvalds started to write his kernel. Our goal was to develop a complete free operating system. Of course, we did not develop all the parts ourselves--but we led the way. We developed most of the central components, forming the largest single contribution to the whole system. The basic vision was ours too.
>
> In fairness, we ought to get at least equal mention.

Note that while the glibc, sysvinit, and a number of other crucial system components were made by the [GNU] project, that doesn't necessarily mean that the majority of UserSpace is made by the [GNU] project or is even under [GPL]/[LGPL].

!! See also

* [The GNU Project homepage | http://www.gnu.org/]
* FreeSoftwareFoundation

-----
CategoryPolitics
Last edited on Sunday, June 25, 2006 9:15:57 am by AristotlePagaltzis
Edit PageHistory Diff Info LikePages