Re: GNU-Linux vs Linux naming [was RE: LAM/MPI Parallel processing]

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <turnbull@example.com>]

>>>>> "sb" == SL Baur <steve@example.com> writes:

    >> I believe the BSDs have their own libcs.[1]

They do.  Fairly ancient versions were used in DJGPP; I believe they
were updated in DJGPP, I _know_ they've been updated for POSIX and
maybe Unix9x in the *BSD distros.  ('Course nowadays Cygwin gives you
all the benefits of glibc on your DOS/Windose system.)

    sb> I was not aware of that.  I was under the impression they were
    sb> going glibc.  This is very good news.  If there is a usable
    sb> non-GNU libc available, then I would retract my statement
    sb> above.

The BSD libcs are no more usable than glibc from an I18N standpoint そう
です。[1]  They had substantially better localization, at least for
Japanese.  But it was typical Japanization.[2]

    >> if you discount software such as "GNU Perl" and "GNU TeX" which
    >> they rudely appropriated without the knowledge of the original
    >> development communities.

    sb> ... and XFree86/X11 ...

Um, no, AFAIK the dual licensing of Perl was done by negotiation with
Larry Wall.  /usr/share/doc/perl-5.005-doc/copyright certainly
indicates that Larry did a lot of thinking about how to turn the GPL
into the LGPL while still conforming to the letter of RMS's request.
:-)

As for "GNU Perl" and "GNU TeX", please show me where those phrases
are used.  GNU perl sounds familiar, but GNU TeX I rather doubt.  In
any case, as of right now on www.gnu.org[3] Perl is described as "GPLed
software which is not part of the GNU Project" and X as "Non-GPLed
software which is not part of the GNU Project".  TeX somehow doesn't
get mentioned at all....

Yes, the Manifesto says they are "part of the GNU system."  I don't
think that's what rms bases his claims on.

    sb> Of course, when I did manage to get developers to sign the
    sb> Copyright assignment, the first thing he did was try to talk
    sb> them out of developing for XEmacs.

Yup.  That's what he did with me.[4]  I don't regret signing that
assignment, though.  Even though rms probably would not defend it in
court unless pressed really hard.


Footnotes: 
[1]  NetBSD just ate my partition table, so it looks like it'll be a
while before I actually have one to look at.  :-)

[2]  A _very_ brief discussion with Kazz.

[3]  http://www.gnu.org/software/software.html

[4]  It's _possible_ that rms really meant it when he said that he
only wanted my non-XEmacs free time.  He seems to be incapable of
doing elementary mathematics, at least when the units are "hours" and
the number being compared with is 24.  Possible, but not likely.  :(

-- 
University of Tsukuba                Tennodai 1-1-1 Tsukuba 305-8573 JAPAN
Institute of Policy and Planning Sciences       Tel/fax: +81 (298) 53-5091
_________________  _________________  _________________  _________________
What are those straight lines for?  "XEmacs rules."