Re: [fsf-community-team] Terminology. GNU/Linux

[Edward Cherlin]

On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 07:41, Don Saklad <address@hidden> wrote:
> When using the term GNU/Linux in advocating important principles, Boston City 
> Hall people fail to comprehend the term. Would any of you kind folks have any 
> hints, tips or pointers?...

Any operating system is made up of many cooperating components, including

o a scheduler
o a file system
o a command interpreter
o asecure password handler
o numerous utility programs
o drivers for all of the hardware in the computer and its peripherals
o tools to create new programs.

The GNU/Linux operating system is built on the Linux kernel, but a
kernel by itself cannot do anything, just as a manager has to have
workers to get the job done. It was the combination of the original
Linus Torvalds Linux kernel with the GNU tools and utilities that
resulted in the first Free Software operating system.

That said, you still have the problem of getting people not to use the
shortest name possible, a Sisyphean task.
-- 
Edward Mokurai (默雷/धर्ममेघशब्दगर्ज/دھرممیگھشبدگر ج) Cherlin
Silent Thunder is my name, and Children are my nation.
The Cosmos is my dwelling place, the Truth my destination.
http://www.earthtreasury.org/