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GNU/Linux: The Name Game

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

I have been asked several times why I do not refer to Linux as “GNU/Linux,” or “the GNU/Linux operating system,” or some variation thereof. Most of you are well aware of the controversy around using the term “Linux,” but many people who have recently switched or are considering trying Ubuntu, or some other distribution of Linux, are likely confused already, and so this may require a bit of explanation. Wikipedia has a decent, concise article that explains the two sides to this argument: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU/Linux_naming_controversy

Check out my point of view here on OMG!Ubuntu!

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Posted in Featured, Linux

About the Author

is a girl that's been playing video games since she came out of the womb. 22 years later I decided to share these pent-up opinions about the industry, games, my likes and dislikes and everything in between. I also dabble with Linux and make a vain attempt at helping others dabble as well. Actually, I just like the word 'dabble'.

  • http://brettalton.com Brett Alton

    Why are you posting under OMG! Ubuntu! now? How did that come about?

  • http://www.proteinshakerecipes.net Bill

    Nixie,

    You’re not abandoning your blog to post on OMGUbuntu are you? :( (

  • http://kifathenerd.dbv.pl Kifa

    Yea, right – why OMGUbuntu, of all things? Their ‘community’ didn’t welcome you last time I checked…? Or am I missing something?

  • neoreloaded

    Why carnt nixie post were she wants to post? She’s a big girl and it is her choice were she posts. Have any of you 3 thought of the fact that she could post in 10 different websites and still post on her blog?

    So what is the OMGUbuntu? you would get more benefits from becoming a ‘youtube partner’;

  • http://mulenmar.wordpress.com mulenmar

    *chuckles* I was called out on in an IRC chat channel for this very issue, because I used the term “GNU/Linux”. I understand about not confusing newbies (unlike Microsoft with the many versions of XP and Vista), so when I’m talking about distros I say, “Ubuntu”, “Debian”, “Linux Mint”. When I’m talking about the operating system in general, I say “GNU/Linux”.

    It seems like a good compromise, as it’s both accurate and, in my experience, not paticularly difficult for people to wrap their mind around. 8~)

  • zxMarce

    I just call it PEENGUEENUX. A mix of spanish PINGÜINO (penguin, Tux, ya know) and Linux. C’mon… Is it THAT bad? People I know came to LIKE it!

    My laptop came with Vista – obliterated. Put Ubuntu. Works a charm, and the name I just wrote it is shorter than “GNU/Linux – Debian – Ubuntu – 9.04 – 9.10 – 10.04″. Simply ridiculous.

    I’ll shortly donate a computer I did not use for a while to a kid. I nuked its Win2K and installed Ubuntu 9.10. Bet the kid will not complain for the OS name, and instead just USE it. Computers are for that, aren’t they?

    These name wars remind me of the Ford vs GM or ZX Spectrum vs. C=64 wars of my days… Funny!

    Keep it up, Nixie!

  • http://socketbrain.blogspot.com Ken

    The Wiki article that Nixie linked is pretty thorough in explaining this big debate. Technically, when referring to Linux in general, it should just be called Linux, not GNU/Linux, as Linus himself has stated. This is because the Linux kernel written by Linus is not a true GNU kernel, despite the fact that the operating system itself does use GNU software for compiling, etc.

    Basically, Richard Stallman is the culprit behind this naming convention war, but only because he has an agenda to push with GNU and the Free Software Foundation. It’s the same sad story, really, in that too many people want Linux to be more than it really is, which is just an awesome operating system that enables anyone to do whatever they want to do with their computer.

    That said, anyone who wants to use a “pure” GNU/Linux OS should take a look at Debian Linux.

  • http://NexWebSites.com/ Nexus

    Oh Sweet Nixie, If you haven’t already, when are you going to pose for a Linux girl photo? You’d be the perfect Linux girl!

  • sergio

    Well…. about “GNU/Linux”, from the autor point of view called GNU/Linux is “ridiculos” he said. Linux is the Kernel and anything around that are just programs working base on it. (if my understanding is correct). I like in particular called just Linux is just simple that way.