[Mageia-discuss] Linux is a KERNEL not an OS

Wed Mar 2 13:57:33 CET 2011

On Wednesday 02 March 2011, my mailbox was graced by a missive
+ from Richard Couture <rrc at linuxcabal.org> who wrote:
+
+> Throughout the pages at www.Mageia.org there are references to Linux as 
+> if it is an OS or a distribution, which in my opinion not only robs the 
+> people of the GNU ṕroject of the credit for the great operating system 
+> that they have developed and maintain, but also is a great way for us to 
+> wave our flag of ignorance.
+ 
+I am afraid that you have to accept that "Linux" has now gone the same way as 
+"Xerox" or "Freigidaire", and has acquired a wider meaning in common parlance 
+than its original.
+
+We (and trademark lawyers) may deplore that state of affairs, we can try to 
+hold back the oncoming tide and use "GNU-Linux" whenever we get a chance, but 
+we must also accept that, for the great majority of those who know about 
+Linux, it has come to refer to the OS, not just the kernel.
+
+To quote the Wikipedia entry on Linux:
+"Linux (commonly pronounced /ˈlɪnəks/ LIN-əks in American English,[also 
+pronounced /ˈlɪnʊks/ LIN-ooks in Europe) refers to the family of Unix-like 
+computer operating systems using the Linux kernel. "
+ 
+Cheers,
+ 
+Ron.
+-- 
+                    Défiez vous des premiers mouvements,
+                           parce qu'ils sont bons.
+                            -- Casimir, Comte de Montrond
+                                    
+                   -- http://www.olgiati-in-paraguay.org --
+
+