Posted on 09/28/2006 6:57:44 AM PDT by Halfmanhalfamazing
On Friday Several kernel developers issued a position paper criticizing the GPLv3 drafts. That prompted Software Freedom Law Center (SLFC) chairman Eben Moglen to issue a "renewed invitation" yesterday to kernel developers to participate in the GPLv3 process. Linus Torvalds responded to Moglen's statement by saying that his position on the license is clear and that he's "fed up" with the FSF.
(Excerpt) Read more at trends.newsforge.com ...
To a degree. Despite the fact thousands contribute to the Linux kernel, it is indeed Linus who oversees it all. Therefore, it is not improper to state that Linus is the prime mover behind the Linux operating system.
Why?
He is, after all, the BDFL (Benevolent Dictator For Life) on the Linux kernel.
From how I learned it, the kernel is the mainfray of the system. It is what makes the OS Linux. And while all the other tools sit atop and interact with the operating system in a symbiotic relationship, it is the kernel that effectively defines the operating system.
My point is that with the above in mind, the Linux kernel is the Linux system as it strictly defines the OS. The GNU overland tools can be run in some form on other kernels (e.g. the BSD's, Darwin/Mac OS X, Solaris, Unix, GNU Hurd, etc.)
However, you're right in that there's a problem. One can only compile the Linux kernel using gcc. And usually there has to be some *nix system running.
You're missing the obvious basic logic that Linux needs Stallman's software to fully operate. Stallmans code will run on lots of software other than Linux, meaning Linux has a dependency on Stallman, not the other way around. Torvalds is no dictator either, whether he likes the sound of that or not, else he could switch away from Stallman if he had differences in philosophy, but obviously he can't.
My recommendation is use Unix instead, and leave these foreign/freeware clone headaches behind.
Right.
I see what you're getting at though...8^)
I use Unix at school and Linux at home.
Does what I need it to--and does the best job. Which is IMHO the most important design and usage criterion of an OS.
Now I'm just studying what makes it all tick (read: technical nitty-gritty) in my spare time and on my own volition...
Essentially. And good for him.(torvalds)
We don't want nor need Stallman's crooked ideology.
Exactly.
You've got a point there. But without the Linux kernel, GNU doesn't have a complete "free" O/S, so Stallman would have a dependency somewhere else. (Merkey perhaps... that would be fun. ;-)
As long as Torvalds has a choice of which version of the GPL he can use, he should be happy (IMHO).
Yes they would, GNU can run on free versions of UNIX. They are even working on their own kernel, where does Torvalds stand on writing his own compiler?
The kernel he is working on, called "hurd".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Hurd
It can run on other Unixes as well, including BSD and Open Solaris, not that I would recommend any of his crap.
So in a nutshell, Stallman basically betrayed the very Free Software Movement he started up in the first place? Sounds like the Vince McMahon angle where he brought the NWO to the WWF.
Vince McMahon: I’m not gunna let Ric Flair kill my creation! If anybody’s gonna kill my creation, it’s ME! I’m gonna INJECT a LETHAL DOSE of POISON! Me, and, the N-W-O.
:)
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