8 replies to this topic

[DEViANT]

Has anyone ever worked on the GNU Operating System? I know its a unix-like operating system. Apart from that I've never heard.

The GNU Operating System

inbe4 not a real OS

[WingedPanther]

I've heard of it as GNU/Hurd, as opposed to GNU/Linux. Linux (the OS) is really the Linux kernel + the GNU OS built on top of it. Hurd is an alternate kernel to Linux that supports everything else on top of it.

[DEViANT]

That confuses me. Linux is a unix operating system. GNU is a recursive abbreviation for GNU NOT UNIX. How does that work then?

[mrlemke]

Linux isn't an operating system. It's a kernel. What many people call Linux is actually GNU/Linux. The GNU project was started to create a POSIX compatible free operating system. However, development on the Hurd kernel had (and is) taken a long time so when Linux made his kernel the two (Linux and GNU) merged to make a complete OS.

[DarkLordofthePenguins]

The GNU operating system is basically another word for Linux, although I think it can also refer to GNU/Hurd, which no one ever uses anyway.

[NoSkill]

The Gnu OS is basicly the Linux ( the kernel ) + All the apps on top of it. To tell the truth dunno what is GNU/Hurd and i will need to look it up.

1) Linux isn't GNU -

The GNU project started about the same time as Linus T. started to build Linux Kernel. The founder of GNU started to build free operating system for people but he started from building compiler + apps. By the time he had all the apps Linus T. released he's kernel named Linux and the founder of GNU just filled the huge gap using the Kernel. Thats how the GNU/Linux started.

2) GNU/Linux isn't Unix

GNU/Linux is Unix-Like System.


As a reference I urge you to watch very good documentary about GNU OS and Linux Kernel that can be found on google video and goes by name "Code Linux".

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3498228245415745977#

[NoSkill]

The GNU OS as you call it is the GNU end user apps on top of Linux Kernel. Mostly people refer to it as GNU/Linux

1) GNU/Linux

GNU started as a stand alone project to create free operating system for people to use.
The founder of GNU fundation started to build the system around same time as Linus T. started his work on Linux Kernel.

Richard Stallman ( Founder of GNU Fundation ) started to build the system but he started from compiler and end and apps ( he didnt write the kernel for his system ) by the time he was done Linus T. released his kernel named Linux for free and Stallman took it and filled huge gap in his system. Thats the origin of the system commonly called Linux now. Stallman named the system GNU/Linux.

To tell the truth dunno what GNU/Hurd is and I will need to Look it up.

2) GNU/Linux isn't Unix system.

It was desing to be Unix Like System ( some stuff is different than in Unix )

As a reference i urge you to watch great documentary about GNU and Linux Kernel that goes by name "Code Linux" it can be found on google video.


Edit:

GNU.ORG said:

What is the GNU Hurd?

The GNU Hurd is the GNU project's replacement for the Unix kernel. It is a collection of servers that run on the Mach microkernel to implement file systems, network protocols, file access control, and other features that are implemented by the Unix kernel or similar kernels (such as Linux).

Edited by NoSkill, 07 February 2011 - 05:29 AM.

[Gigia]

First of all not Linux but "GNU/Linux" cause tools like Emacs, GCC and others very developed by RMS team. (GNU) Main difference between GNU powered GNU/linux Distributions and other GNU/Linux distributions is that GNU powered OSs are using fresh oper source kernel, but other distributions like Ubuntu, Centos, RHEL are not using fully open source kernel.

[b941]

DEViANT said:

Has anyone ever worked on the GNU Operating System? I know its a unix-like operating system. Apart from that I've never heard.

The GNU Operating System

inbe4 not a real OS

GNU can't work without a kernel. You can choose between Linux or Hurd.
Hurd is not ready yet. It was in development for about 20 years now and probably will never get to stable version... :-) I don't know, I'm just guessing.

You can try Debian GNU/Hurd of Arch with Hurd (can't remember the exact name).

But Linux is better.