LXer: An Open Letter to Richard Stallman
 

Published at LXer:

An Open Letter to Richard Stallman, proposing to name the GNU/Linux just GNix, to make it easier to say, and to write. Instead of the long GNU/Linux or the plain Linux where GNU gets no credit.

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It's not a bad idea. The only problem is that GNU no longer stands for anything if you have just GN. However, as GNU only stands for "GNU is Not Linux", I doubt there is any way to make sense of it at all. In conclusion, it might just work.

Gnu's Not Unix.
Is it really difficult typing/writing GNU/Linux? Or saying gnu linux?

Stallman already wanted a clever name. He suggested lignux for the OS and linux for the kernel (with the 'g' being silent in the first so that they are both pronounced the same). Linus and others shot him down. Anyway, this is a stupid idea IMHO, things are too ingrained now. People are not going to switch and start calling distros Gnix. Hell Ubuntu does not even bother mentioning Linux any more. Have a look at http://www.ubuntu.com/, http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop or even http://www.ubuntu.com/server/ and try and find any mention of Linux on those pages.

Also Gnix is too generic. Is it supposed to mean GNU on top of a UNIX-like kernel. If so how do you tell the difference between the Debian variants based on the Linux and FreeBSD kernels? They are both Gnix, right? The more I think about it the more dumb it all sounds.

I try and honor Stallman and the FSF's contributions by using GNU/Linux as often as I can as opposed to Linux. Must say I don't like "Gnix". Actually, I really don't like the hard g in GNU or Gnix- makes it awkward to say. The animal "gnu" is pronounced the same as "new" anyway.
Lignux was a great idea.

Wow! The LXer bot picked me up and I got linked to here at LinuxQ. Man! I've hit the big time. ;)

Cheers,

~Eric

The Debian variant with FreeBSD kernel is called GNU/kfreebsd, not GNU/Unix, so no, Gnix wouldn't fit to that. Unix, in opposite to Linux, is not just a kernel, but a complete operating system.

Anyways, I like the idea, but I don't think that it is really viable to get all people together to use Gnix instead of Linux, too many large egos, to many people opposed to change.