Public Domain Python

[Grant Griffin]

Terry Reedy wrote:
> 
> [discussion of fame for contributions]
> 
> > > which-is-why-richard-stallman-insists-we-call-'linux'
> > >    -'the-gnu/linux-system'-<<fat chance>>-ly y'rs,
> 
> His point is that a larger fraction of gnu-linux, as usually distributed,
> come from the gnu project (gcc, etc, etc) than from Linus and the rest of
> the Linux team.

Sure, I understand that.  Although the Linux folks evidently did the
_hard_ part, that Stallman never figured out how to do.  So _I_ think it
should be called "The Linux/_GNU_ System. <wink>

But the point remains: Stallman is claiming the "ego pay" he is due in
the "gift economy" of open-source software.  Otherwise, he would just
let us all call it "Linux", and could just glow in private whenever he
pondered his own significant contributions to it.

> 
> > Well, he can insist all he likes.  Stallman is to be admired for many
> > things, including his long-term promotion if the free software ideal
> > which has indirectly led to a hiuge amount of open-source software
> > becoming (pretty) freely available.  I suspect he's being unrealistic
> > in that insistence.
> 
> Agreed.  Best Buy now sells about 5 boxed (gnu/)linux distributions.  As I
> remember, all just called it Linux, so I think the the naming of the system
> after the kernal is a done deal.

It was done before it ever started.  Nobody out there in Videoland was
ever gonna say "The GNU/Linux System" in the first place.

The irony of Stallman's petulant insistance on this is that all the
people who really care already understand GNU's contribution (and so
don't need to be reminded), and those who _don't_ care...well...really
don't care.  So the net effect of his petulance is that he ends up
looking petulant (kindda like on this "Virginia/UCITA" thing on the CNRI
license. <wink>)

> And recognition of the same will only push FSF and crew to finish the Gnu
> kernal, if they can, so they can distribute GnuOS as such and get proper
> credit for what they have done.

Whatever its technical merits (in the event that it ever gets finished
;-), they've already missed all the Windows of opportunity.  The market
wants/needs to gravitate toward a single standard, and in the world of
"free/open Unix clones", Linux clearly is the _de facto_ standard.

people-who-don't-like-linux-probably-should-be-using-windows-or
   -macintosh-<wink>-ly y'rs,

=g2
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________

Grant R. Griffin                                       g2 at dspguru.com
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