What exactly do we mean when we say we are using Linux?
There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called “Linux” distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux.
I always thought Linux as a kernel and Operating System but it looks like Linux = Linux kernel and GNU OS. Could someone point out the exact functionality of each in the «Linux» terminology we use in our day to day life. Also, according to the wiki, GNU’s design is Unix-like but differs from Unix by being free software and containing no Unix code. I thought Unix is opensource. Isn’t it?
3 Answers 3
I believe the bit you’re referring to is covered here on the Free Software Foundation (FSF) website:
According to the FSF their contention is that Linux is just a Kernel. A usable system is comprised of a Kernel + the tools such as ls , find , shells, etc. Therefore when referring to the entire system, it should be referred to as GNU/Linux, since the other tools together with the Linux Kernel make up a complete usable system. They even go on to talk about the FSF Unix Kernel, Hurd, making arguments that Hurd and Linux are essentially interchangeable Kernels to the GNU/X system.
I find the entire argument tiring and think there are better things to do with our time. A name is just a name and the fact that people consider a system that includes GNU software + the Linux Kernel + other non-GNU software to be Linux or GNU/Linux a matter of taste and really doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. In fact I think the argument does more to hurt Linux and GNU/Linux by fracturing the community and confusing the general public as to what each thing actually is.
For more than you ever wanted to know on this topic take a look at the Wikipedia articled titled: GNU/Linux naming controversy.
All Unixes opensource?
To my knowledge not all Unixes are opensource. Most of the functionality within Unix is specified so that how things work is open, but specific implementations of this functionality is or isn’t open depending on which distro it’s a part of.
For example, until recently Solaris, a Unix, wasn’t considered open source. Only when Sun Microsystem’s released core components into the OpenSolaris project, did it at least components of Solaris become open source.
Unix History
I’m by no means an expert on this topic, so I would suggest taking a look at the Unix Wikipedia page for more on the topic.
Linux History
Take a look at the Unix Lineage diagram for more on which Unixes are considered open, mixed, or closed source.
I also find the GNU/Linux Distribution Timeline Project useful when having this conversation.
No UNIX is open source and Linux is not Unix. Unlike FreeBSD, which is a direct descendant and once contained ATT UNIX code, Linux has no direct connection and is only Unix-like. OSX is UNIX.
@Rob FreeBSD no longer contains ATT code: that’s what made it free. It doesn’t have more or less claim to the name Unix than Linux or MINIX or OSF/1.
@Rob — please site references. I’m sure you don’t mean that comment to come across as sounding like a troll, but it is, at least a bit 8-).The whole is Linux a Unix debate has been covered here already. Please see this thread: unix.stackexchange.com/questions/4091/is-linux-a-unix. I find that argument tiring. It’s like argument how to pronounce tomato.
@slm I only responded to your comment that «Not all Unixes are open source» and the truth is no Unixes are open source. UNIX is a trade name, a validation and certification. It also means there is POSIX compliance to a degree Linux and other systems can’t validate (but OSX can). I wasn’t arguing anything except UNIX is UNIX and Linux is not UNIX which your post seemed to say, iirc. (I was not aware of previous thread, or any other.
Typically, what we usually call an Operating System, is a combination of software involving a kernel, whose job is to manage the resources of the machine and some applications that run on top of the kernel, called the userland (this contains browsers, compilers, pdf readers, anything that isn’t the kernel, or a driver, or maybe a vm hypervisor).
The rest of this question can not be answered without some historical context. Richard Stallman anounced the GNU Project on the 27th of September of 1983. The aim was to provide the software needed to develop a UNIX like operating system (and the accompanying userland) as free software. By 1992, the GNU Project had completed nearly all pieces essential for their software — except for one: the kernel. By the same time, Linus Torvalds released his kernel Linux (version 0.12) as free software, licensed under the GPL license. So for the first time, it could be possible to run a computer comprised (nearly) entirely of free software.
Linux (as mentioned) is a kernel, and, although it’s the ultimate base of the software that allows you to use your computer, it’s not of much usefulness alone. You should pair it with some sort of applications (userland) for it to run. That’s what GNU/Linux distributions like Debian or Ubuntu and the like do.
It’s worth mentioning that a kernel is both important and unimportant at the same time. Allow me to explain. Most people that use a computer are accustomed with the userland rather than the kernel. The kernel is mostly transparent, and most people would use another kernel with the same userland and might not even notice the difference (unless of course they are depending on a feature provided by a particular kernel).
Therefore, when you use Linux, you trully are using a realisation of the GNU operating system; that is the Linux kernel and the GNU userland (GNOME, GNU Compiler Collection, GNU debugger, GNU Coreutils, GNU binutils, etc). That’s why the FSF insists on calling it GNU/Linux (in my opinion, a fair request).
You can of course, use Linux without the GNU userland (hint: Android, Busybox) and ofcourse use the GNU userland on top of other kernels (kfreebsd, hurd, etc).
As for the Unix is open source and the like, that is a question that can involve quite a bit of arguing. You might however find some useful information here
cross compiling, why «checking whether we are cross compiling. no»?
I’m trying to compile cross-platform tools-chain by myself. When I compiled binutils-2.22, it success but why appear «checking whether we are cross compiling. no»? I suppose it should be «yes», right? My host is i686 running ubuntu, and my target is arm.
~/telink_linux/build-tools/binutils-2.22$ ./configure --prefix=/home/shuaihan/telink_linux/tools --target=arm-linux checking build system type. i686-pc-linux-gnu checking host system type. i686-pc-linux-gnu checking target system type. arm-unknown-linux-gnu . checking whether we are cross compiling. no . configure: creating ./config.status config.status: creating Makefile 1 Answer 1
Because you’re not cross-compiling binutils; you’re compiling cross-binutils. If you were compiling ARM binutils to run on ARM, or if you were compiling ARM binutils to run on a third platform (neither i686-linux nor arm-linux) then that message would say «yes».
Oh, I see. It looks like I misunderstood the meaning of this message. Because my «build system» is same as «host system type», so it is not «cross compiling», right? Thanks!
That’s right. You’re building cross-tools because «host» and «target» are different, but you’re not cross-compiling the tools themselves, because «build» and «host» are the same.
This is old, but there is a caveat not listed: Linux supports binfmt_misc , which allows this test to fail when actually cross-compiling; for example, ./configure —target=x86_64-w64-ming32 on Linux systems will sometimes say «no» to the cross compile check, if the system is configured to run .exe files via Wine without having to explicitly call wine. To solve that, bypass the check by forcing it to not run: ./configure —host=$(./config.guess) —target=x86_64-w64-mingw32 .
Errgh. I typoed and cannot for some reason edit my last comment. It should read ./configure —build=$(./config.guess) —host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 — of course, adjust the —host for the intended target. Sorry about that.
We are Linux
В конце прошлого года я писал о том, что некоммерческая организация Linux Foundation, занимающаяся евангелизмом, правовой и финансовой поддержкой самой быстрорастущей платформы в компьютерном мире, объявила конкурс на лучшее рекламное видео на тему «I’m a Linux».
На прошлой неделе в Сан-Франциско, Калифорния, группа судей определила победителя конкурса — им стал графический фриланс-дизайнер Эмитей Твито (Amitay Tweeto) из Израиля. Его работа «What does it mean to be Free» заслужила высочайшую похвалу и огромный отклик, как вдохновляющее и очень чувственное видео, посвященное платформе.
По словам судей и всех, кто принимал участие в отборе лучших роликов, в период между декабрем и мартом было принято около 90 работ. Пользователи голосовали за наиболее интересные, а судьи, в итоге, выбирали победителя.
Примечателен тот факт, что несмотря на изначальное направление конкурса «I’m a Linux» большинство работ тем, или иным, образом говорили «We are Linux» — уже здесь видна колоссальная разница с нашумевшей рекламой Apple и Microsoft.
Многие создатели видео сконцентрировались в первую очередь на коммерческой независимости платформы — что неудивительно, учитывая нынешнюю экономическую ситуацию. Вице-президент Linux Foundation по маркетингу и развитию, Аманда МакФерсон (Amanda McPherson), которая курировала весь конкурс от его начала до завершения, так прокомментировала ролик победителя: «Это видео говорит на гораздо высшем уровне восприятия, опуская обыденные вещи доносит до зрителя то, что действительно важно — понятие свободы в компьютерном мире. Со временем мы становимся все более открытыми и прозрачными в устройстве жизни, и сегодня пользователь готов к этому сообщению».
Помимо Аманды, остальные 6 судей единогласно сошлись на выборе победителя — а среди них есть очень и очень требовательные люди, как например: Ларри Августин (основатель VA Linux), Джо «Зонкер» Брокмейер (социальный менеджер OpenSUSE), Тим О’Рейли, в конце-концов.
Приз победителя — путевка на Linux Foundation Japan Linux Symposium, который состоится в октябре. И, конечно же, всеобщее уважение. Кроме того, позволю себе показать читателям еще два видео, высоко оцененных как пользователями, так и судьями.
I+You+We=LINUX (ожидается скорое появление этого слогана на футболках сисадминов). Создатель: Августин Евгиа, Брюссель. Это видео лично мне понравилось больше всего.
Linux Pub. Создатель: Себастьян Массе, Париж.