Aug 21, 2007

GNU/Linux

Someone else's blog post on why he uses the name Linux instead of GNU/Linux inspired me to write my own opinion of the matter. I too, choose to say "Linux", although if I was actually talking to someone who was interested, I'd probably say I use "Kubuntu Linux", because that is more accurate.

Here's what I think:
Arguing about the name is stupid. You might as well argue that America should be renamed America/Columbus. All Amerigo Vespucci did was recognized the land as a new continent; he couldn't have done that without the help of Columbus, who discovered the land. (True history buffs would insist it should be called America/Ericson, because Leif Ericson discovered America long before Christopher Columbus did.)

Only a small few think "Linux" refers only to a kernel. To the rest of us, "Linux" is the catch-all posterchild word for "open source operating system and software."

Arguing over the name is looking backwards instead of forwards. It is fighting over recognition instead of cooperating towards real recognition... by the world.

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