Re: [OFFTOPIC] RMS and reactions to him

[Chris Funderburg]

Mark Mielke wrote:
<clipped>
> In actual fact, I don't want RMS to stop.

Well, he "hasn't stopped" in years:

************************************************************************
Date:   Thu, 7 Mar 1996 10:49:16 -0600 (CST)
Reply-To: lilo <[e-mail]>
To: Richard Stallman <[e-mail]>
cc: [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail],
         [e-mail]
Subject: Re: Linux isn't an operating system
Sender: [e-mail]
Precedence: bulk

isn't there an advocacy newsgroup for gnu software?  this is pretty clearly
off-topic.  speaking from my own experience, it's very easy to get caught up
in an advocacy thread, even when that thread is clearly off-topic.  :) i
also suspect that it will continue to generate flames as long as the
originator keeps pursuing it here. ;)

lilo

On Wed, 6 Mar 1996, Richard Stallman wrote:

 > I think I should explain the difference between "GNU software" and
 > "the GNU operating system".  It would be inaccurate to say that a
 > system such Slackware consists mainly of GNU software, but correct I
 > believe to say it is mostly the same as the GNU system.
 >
 > I started the GNU project in 1984 with the aim of making a complete
 > free Unix-like operating system.  I wrote some parts myself--GCC,
 > Emacs, GDB, and other smaller ones.  Other people wrote other
 > components for the GNU project.  These programs are GNU software.
 >
 > We also added to the GNU system some programs like X Windows and parts
 > of BSD which were written by other projects.  These programs are not
 > GNU software, but they are parts of the GNU system (and parts of other
 > systems as well).  When Linux was written, the GNU system was almost
 > complete, but lacking a kernel.  Putting the incomplete GNU system
 > together with Linux realized my dream of a free operating system.
 >
 > In principle, there's no reason why a system based on Linux has to be
 > a variant GNU system, and perhaps some of them are not.  But as far as
 > I know, most of them currently are.
 >
 > To speak of "Linux Based MIT X Windows/GNU/BSD/MIT systems" would be
 > correct.  But people may find it impractical.  The term "Linux-based
 > GNU system" is also correct, and it is practical.
 >
 > By using this term, we can help encourage people to work together
 > instead of dividing themselves artificially into "Linux users" and
 > "GNU users".  This solves an important practical problem.
 >