[ILUG] RMS & GNU/Linux

[Breathnach, Proinnsias (Dublin)]

Well for a start I'd find it hard to see Linus insisting on the whole system
being called Linux ..

	'Just consider: the GNU Project starts developing an operating
system, and years later Linus Torvalds adds one important piece. The GNU
Project says, "Please give our project equal mention," but Linus says,
"Don't give them a share of the credit; call the whole thing after my name
alone!" '

And while I'd agree with him to an extent, I also see the case for
binary-only drivers (such as the nvidia ones) simply for the reason that a
company investing millions into developing a product has the right to
protect that product. (Product being a hardware product that requires
special software controls etc). In the case of out-of-date hardware it may
be fair to ask a manufacturer to release their source for the drivers, but
in the case of new hardware, where the primary difference is the controlling
software, there is a case for binary only modules. (I do agree that these
should be secondary to the Kernel, and I was of the impression that a
certain LT also had those views ...

P
-- 
fsck /dev/begrudger*

> -----Original Message-----
> Read  http://www.linuxworld.com/site-stories/2002/0520.rms.html  and see
> if
> you can find anything with which to really disagree.
> 
> I've always thought that RMS had a strong point here, but I've been too
> lazy
> to do anything but say Linux. However, he's close to convincing me. In
> fact,
> he has convinced me, the question only remains whether lazines will
> overcome
> my conviction :-(
>