GNU discussion (was re:Free your phone)

[David Schlesinger]

>I like to be accurate and know what I am talking about, and I like
>others to be too :-)

It simply never ends, does it?

Feel entirely free to call it "GNU/Linux", "Bob/Linux", "Jim/Linux" or
whatever you like, okay. But _please_ stop proselytizing.

Have you ever noticed how folks with a zealot-like position assume, that
when you disagree with them, that it represents some failure of adequate
(or maybe adequately _repeated_) explanation on their part...?

I get it, okay? I disagree. Telling me that "GNU" is a "principal
developer" doesn't make it so and opinions clearly vary here.

So, why don't you let those of use who choose to use a more commonly
accepted, no less accurate, and more generally understood name simply do
so?

I can just see some poor fellow asking a sales-droid what the actual
difference is between "Linux" ("I've _heard_ of _that_!") and
"_GNU_/Linux". 

"So, it's something _different_ than Linux?"
"Yes, it's more conducive to personal freedom and encourages community
better."
"Does it make the phone _do_ anything different?"
"Other than encouraging freedom, no."
"Um, mm-kay... I realy just wanted a cell phone... Maybe I should get a
Microsoft one instead; I've _heard_ of that. I don't what what this GNU
stuff is, but I never heard of it, so I don't know whether it really
works or not... Are you sure you don't have one that just runs
_Linux_...?"
"Sorry, nope. Ya _fascist._"