On Mon, Oct 03, 2011 at 01:39:11PM -0600, Aaron Toponce wrote: > On Mon, Oct 03, 2011 at 12:49:20PM -0500, Derek Martin wrote: > > > Linux is a kernel, not an operating system. > > > > I suggest you not go there (like, ever). This statement is at least > > arguably false on several levels, and its truth value really depends > > on the definitions of some terms that at best have been somewhat fluid > > over time or variable depending on what "authority" you use... It's > > more the matter of religious dogma than technical or literal fact, and > > practically speaking, it matters not at all... All but the most > > neophyte of readers (and probably most of those even, I would guess) > > will understand what was meant. > > Oh brother. This has nothing to do with religious dogma. It's a kernel. > That's it. It's an operating system kernel. Plain and simple. Read this in > case you think otherwise: > > https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Linux_kernel
Oh brother indeed. "I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since April, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things)." 1. Linus himself calls it an operating system, in that very document to which you referred. 2. Multiple learning materials I used as text books in computer sience and technology classes in college 100 years ago and my own leisure reading defined the operating system as the kernel. 3. There exist a whole classification of products which bear the Linux name which are not just the Linux Kernel, which collectively are referred to as "Linux" by most of the industry (except for GNU bigots^H^H^H^H^H^Henthusiasts). So again, your statement is at least arguably false, on multiple levels. As I said. You can argue these are all wrong if you want to, but I can find "legitimate authorities" to refute that as easily as you can find them to support it. So again, it's dogma, not fact. I put "legitimate authorities" in quotes because we have no language police, other than those self-appointed to the task. There are no true bona fide authorities, only historical usage. Which is fine, because words obtain their meanings in that fashion. -- Derek D. Martin http://www.pizzashack.org/ GPG Key ID: 0xDFBEAD02 -=-=-=-=- This message is posted from an invalid address. Replying to it will result in undeliverable mail due to spam prevention. Sorry for the inconvenience.
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