[ProgSoc] s/GNU\/Linux/Linux/

[Nicholas FitzRoy-Dale <wzdd@nospam.lardcave.net>]

At 11:32am on the 6th of February, jedd wrote:

>  That's why I said GNU/Linux, not RMS/Linux.
> 
>  The belief that rms == gnu is probably even more ill-advised
>  than the belief that Linux = Debian = Red Hat = Mandrake etc.

That is definitely the case, but doesn't change the fact that the movement
to rename Linux systems was started, and is still primarily motivated, by
the founder of the GNU project, Richard Stallman, and its executive
director, Bradley Kuhn.

>  I accept that GNU/Linux doesn't cover every rinky licence or
>  contributor out there, but shortening the name to remove a
>  group that contributed a significant bulk of the software *and*
>  motivation doesn't seem to be a step in the right direction.

This is a completely misleading paragrah. I hardly need point out to you of
all people that systems running Linux were referred to as "Linux systems"
for many years before RMS decided that he wanted in on the branding. It's
not a name-shortening at all.

I also consider it rather, er, blithe to refer to Python, XFree, Perl and a
host of other components that many would consider as vital for desktop Linux
as ls or GCC, as having a "rinky license or contributor", Larry Wall's 
interview responses on slashdot notwithstanding.

To make it perfectly clear: I agree with you that we shouldn't change the
original naming of Linux systems, which is why they should continue to be
called "Linux systems".

Good point about the ESR apologists though. Shoot them all, I say.

-- 
Nicholas
http://www.lardcave.net

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