1 Sep
2012
1 Sep
'12
4:39 p.m.
Well, to the very end of that sentence, I say
"yes and no". The
Linux crowd used a lot of GNU userland stuff from the very beginning,
with little or no involvement from the GNU project, and certainly no
*official* involvement. When RMS realized (well, more like "admitted to
himself") that the Hurd was essentially stillborn, they pretty much laid
claim to Linux. As far as I saw, they didn't go so far as revisionist
historianism, but they did try VERY hard to get everyone to call it
"GNU/Linux". That riding-on-coattails thing is something they should've
been pretty embarrassed about, but they certainly didn't seem to be at
the time. RMS was not at all bashful about discussing Linux as
"GNU/Linux" at every turn, simply because they adopted the GNU userland
utilities...as did several other OSs.
These are the kinds of actions that make people shake their head, but
that's probably exactly what RMS wants to have happen.
I think I would probably strangle him if I had to be in the same room with
him for any length of time. But I respect that he is consistent in his
views and not hypocritical about implementing them, even if that makes him
unpopular (and even if his views are batsh*t crazy sometimes).
--
------------------------------------ personal: http://www.cameronkaiser.com/ --
Cameron Kaiser * Floodgap Systems * www.floodgap.com * ckaiser at floodgap.com
-- God made the integers; all else is the work of Man. -- Kronecker -----------