On Tue, 2004-07-06 at 14:39, Jim Cheetham wrote:It does *not* show that your favourite distribution thinks that it itself is "GNU/Linux", only that it has chosen to use the GNU project 'uname' command.
But it does show that your favourite distribution chose not to change it, which is just as significant.
No, I don't believe that the "lack of dissent" is the same as "assent".
Distributions use GNU software because it works, and because it's available. GNU specialises in software which is "necessary" and by virtue of the fact that they did it first, no-one else has bothered with replacements. Except perhaps perl/Linux :-)
Debian, for example, would change it in a flash if they disagreed.
Sure, they would happily rip out things that they disagreed with. Despite their stance as GNU/Linux, they have carefully examined and taken exception with the GNU documentation license. http://people.debian.org/~srivasta/Position_Statement.html
The info page on uname states the difference between the -o and -s options are for systems where the kernel-name is different from the OS-name, such as GNU/Linux, and Solaris/SunOS. (Yes, "uname -o" on a Sun box does return "SunOS".)
Thanks. I had forgotten the usefulness of a split between "kernel" and "operating system", and had consequently used bad phrasing.
-jim
