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Linux and the GNU system |
Linux and the GNU system |
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The GNU project started 12 years ago with the goal of developing a |
The GNU project started in 1984 with the goal of developing a complete |
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complete free Unix-like operating system. "Free" refers to freedom, |
free Unix-like operating system: GNU. "Free" refers to freedom, not |
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not price; it means you are free to run, copy, distribute, study, |
price; it means you are free to run, copy, distribute, study, change, |
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change, and improve the software. |
and improve the software. |
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A Unix-like system consists of many different programs. We found some |
A Unix-like system consists of many different programs. We found some |
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components already available as free software--for example, X Windows |
components already available as free software--for example, X Windows |
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and TeX. We obtained other components by helping to convince their |
and TeX. We obtained other components by helping to convince their |
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developers to make them free--for example, the Berkeley network |
developers to make them free--for example, the Berkeley network |
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utilities. Other components we wrote specifically for GNU--for |
utilities. This left many missing components that we had to write in |
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example, GNU Emacs, the GNU C compiler, the GNU C library, Bash, and |
order to produce GNU--for example, GNU Emacs, the GNU C compiler, the |
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Ghostscript. The components in this last category are "GNU software". |
GNU C library, Bash, and Ghostscript. The GNU system consists of all |
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The GNU system consists of all three categories together. |
these components together. |
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The GNU project is not just about developing and distributing some |
The GNU project is not just about developing and distributing some |
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useful free software. The heart of the GNU project is an idea: that |
useful free software. The heart of the GNU project is an idea: that |
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software should be free, and that the users' freedom is worth |
software should be free, that software users should have freedom to |
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defending. For if people have freedom but do not consciously |
participate in a community. To run your computer, you need an |
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appreciate it, they will not keep it for long. If we want to make |
operating system; if it is not free, your freedom has been denied. To |
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freedom last, we need to call people's attention to the freedoms they |
have freedom, you need a free operating system. We therefore set out |
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have in free software. |
to write one. |
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In the long run, though, we cannot expect to keep the free operating |
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system free unless the users are aware of the freedom it gives them, |
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and value that freedom. People who do not appreciate their freedom |
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will not keep it long. If we want to make freedom last, we need to |
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spread awareness of the freedoms they have in free software. |
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The GNU project's method is that free software and the idea of users' |
The GNU project's method is that free software and the idea of users' |
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freedom support each other. We develop GNU software, and as people |
freedom support each other. We develop GNU software, and as people |
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Thus, the software embodies the idea, spreads the idea, and grows from |
Thus, the software embodies the idea, spreads the idea, and grows from |
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the idea. |
the idea. |
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By 1992, we had found or written all of the essential major components |
Early on in the development of GNU, various parts of it became popular |
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of the system except the kernel, which we were writing. (This kernel |
even though users needed proprietary systems to run them on. Porting |
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consists of the Mach microkernel plus the GNU HURD. Currently it is |
the system to many systems and maintaining them required a lot of |
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running but not ready for users. The first test release was made in |
work. After that work, most GNU software is easily configured for a |
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1996.) |
variety of different platforms. |
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Then the Linux kernel became available. Linux is a free |
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Unix-compatible kernel initially written by Linus Torvalds. It was |
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not written for the GNU project, but Linux and the almost-complete GNU |
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system made a useful combination. This combination provided all the |
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major essential components of a Unix-compatible operating system, and |
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with some work, people made it into a usable system. It was a variant |
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GNU system, based on the Linux kernel. |
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Ironically, the popularity of these systems undermines our method of |
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communicating the GNU idea to people who use GNU. These systems are |
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mostly the same as the GNU system--the main difference being the |
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choice of kernel. But people usually call them "Linux systems". At |
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first impression, a "Linux system" sounds like something completely |
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distinct from the "GNU system," and that is what most users think it |
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is. |
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Most introductions to the "Linux system" acknowledge the role played |
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by the GNU software components. But they don't say that the system as |
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a whole is a modified version of the GNU system that the GNU project |
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has been developing and compiling since 1984. They don't say that the |
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goal of a free Unix-like system like this one came from the GNU |
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project. So most users don't know these things. |
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Since human beings tend to correct their first impressions less than |
By 1991, we had found or written all of the essential major components |
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subsequent information calls for, those users who later learn about |
of the system except the kernel, which we were writing. (This kernel |
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the relationship between these systems and the GNU project still often |
consists of the Mach microkernel plus the GNU HURD. The first test |
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underestimate it. |
release was made in 1996. Now, in 2002, it is running well, and |
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Hurd-based GNU systems are starting to be used.) |
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That was the situation when Linux came into being. Linux is a kernel, |
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like the kernel of Unix; it was written by Linus Torvalds, who |
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released it under the GNU General Public License. He did not write |
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this kernel for GNU, but it fit into the gap in GNU. The combination |
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of GNU and Linux included all the major essential components of a |
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Unix-compatible operating system. Other people, with some work made |
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the combination into a usable system. The principal use of Linux, the |
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kernel, is as part of this combination. |
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The popularity of the GNU/Linux combination is success, in the sense |
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of popularity, for GNU. Ironically, the popularity of GNU/Linux |
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undermines our method of communicating the ideas of GNU to people who |
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use GNU. |
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When GNU programs were only usable individually on top of another |
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operating system, installing and using them meant knowing and |
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appreciating these programs, and thus being aware of GNU, which led |
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people to think about the philosophical base of GNU. Now users can |
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install a unified operating system which is basically GNU, but they |
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usually think these are "Linux systems". At first impression, a |
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"Linux system" sounds like something completely distinct from the "GNU |
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system," and that is what most users think. |
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This leads many users to identify themselves as a separate community |
This leads many users to identify themselves as a separate community |
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of "Linux users", distinct from the GNU user community. They use all |
of "Linux users", distinct from the GNU user community. They use more |
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of the GNU software; in fact, they use almost all of the GNU system; |
than just some GNU programs, they use almost all of the GNU system, |
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but they don't think of themselves as GNU users, and often they don't |
but they don't think of themselves as GNU users. Often they never |
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think that the GNU idea relates to them. |
hear about the GNU idea; if they do, they may not think it relates to |
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them. |
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It leads to other problems as well--even hampering cooperation on |
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software maintenance. Normally when users change a GNU program to |
Most introductions to the "Linux system" acknowledge that GNU software |
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make it work better on a particular system, they send the change to |
components play a role in it, but they don't say that the system as a |
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the maintainer of that program; then they work with the maintainer, |
whole is a modified version of the GNU system that the GNU project has |
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explaining the change, arguing for it, and sometimes rewriting it for |
been developing and compiling since Linus Torvalds was in junior high |
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the sake of the overall coherence and maintainability of the package, |
school. They don't say that the main reason this free operating |
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to get the patch installed. |
exists is that the GNU Project worked persistently to achieve its goal |
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of freedom. |
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But people who think of themselves as "Linux users" are more likely to |
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release a forked "Linux-only" version of the GNU program, and consider |
As a result, most users don't know these things. They believe that |
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the job done. We want each and every GNU program to work "out of the |
the "Linux system" was developed by Linus Torvalds "just for fun", and |
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box" on Linux-based systems; but if the users do not help, that goal |
that their freedom is a matter of good fortune rather than the |
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becomes much harder to achieve. |
dedicated pursuit of freedom. This creates a danger that they will |
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leave the survival of free software to fortune as well. |
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How should the GNU project deal with this problem? What should we do |
Since human beings tend to correct their first impressions less than |
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now to spread the idea that freedom for computer users is important? |
called for by additional information they learn later, these users |
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will tend to continue to underestimate their connection to GNU even if |
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they do learn the facts. |
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When we began trying to support the GNU/Linux system, we found this |
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widespread misinformation led to a practical problem--it hampered |
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cooperation on software maintenance. Normally when users change a GNU |
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program to make it work better on a particular system, they send the |
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change to the maintainer of that program; then they work with the |
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maintainer, explaining the change, arguing for it, and sometimes |
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rewriting it for the sake of the overall coherence and maintainability |
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of the package, to get the patch installed. But people who thought of |
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themselves as "Linux users" showed a tendency to release a forked |
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"Linux-only" version of the GNU program and consider the job done. In |
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some cases we had to redo their work in order to make GNU programs run |
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as released in GNU/Linux systems. |
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How should the GNU project encourage its users to cooperate? How |
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should we spread the idea that freedom for computer users is |
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important? |
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We should continue to talk about the freedom to share and change |
We must continue to talk about the freedom to share and change |
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software--and to teach other users to value these freedoms. If we |
software--and to teach other users to value these freedoms. If we |
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enjoy having a free operating system, it makes sense for us to think |
value having a free operating system, it makes sense to think about |
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about preserving those freedoms for the long term. If we enjoy having |
preserving those freedoms for the long term. If we value having a |
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a variety of free software, it makes sense for to think about |
variety of free software, it makes sense to think about encouraging |
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encouraging others to write additional free software, instead of |
others to write free software, instead of proprietary software. |
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additional proprietary software. |
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However, it is not enough just to talk about freedom; we must also |
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We should not accept the idea of two separate communities for GNU and |
make sure people know the reasons it is worth listening to what we |
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Linux. Instead we should spread understanding that "Linux systems" |
say. |
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are variants of the GNU system, and that the users of these systems |
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are GNU users as well as Linux users (users of the Linux kernel). |
Long explanations such as our philosophical articles are one way of |
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Users who know this will naturally tend to take a look at the GNU |
informing the public, but you may not want to spend so much time on |
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philosophy which brought these systems into existence. |
the matter. The most effective way you can help with a small amount |
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of work is simply by using the terms "Linux-based GNU system" or |
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I've written this article as one way of doing that. Another way is to |
"GNU/Linux system", instead of "Linux system," when you write about or |
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use the terms "Linux-based GNU system" or "GNU/Linux system", instead |
mention such a system. Seeing these terms will show many people the |
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of "Linux system," when you write about or mention such a system. |
reason to pay attention to our philosophical articles. |
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The system as a whole is more GNU than Linux; the name "GNU/Linux" is |
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fair. When you are choosing the name of a distribution or a user |
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group, a name with "GNU/Linux" will reflect both roots of the combined |
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system, and will bring users into connection with both--including the |
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spirit of freedom and community that is the basis and purpose of GNU. |
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Copyright 1996 Richard Stallman |
Copyright 1996, 2002 Richard Stallman |
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Verbatim copying and redistribution is permitted |
Verbatim copying and redistribution is permitted |
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without royalty as long as this notice is preserved. |
without royalty as long as this notice is preserved. |
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