Re: A proposed Roadmap

[R. Steven Rainwater]

On Sun, 2007-09-09 at 20:12, Richard Stallman wrote:
> It makes no sense to consider Linux part of the GNU system.  GNU/Linux
> systems are useful, and (when they are free) it's a good thing they
> exist, but they aren't the GNU system.

Okay, using Linux in any form as part of the GNU System is not an
option. Understood.

Just out of curiosity, can you explain why it doesn't make sense? In the
information I've been able to find out about the GNU Project so far, you
say:

"Developing a whole system is a very large project. To bring it into
reach, I decided to adapt and use existing pieces of free software
wherever that was possible. For example, I decided at the very beginning
to use TeX as the principal text formatter; a few years later, I decided
to use the X Window System rather than writing another window system for
GNU."

(quoted from http://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.html )

The Linux kernel is free software and it's possible to adapt it to work
as the kernel of the GNU system. So, when people suggest using Linux
within the GNU System, it seems to make sense in the same way that using
TeX or the X Window System make sense.

I'm assuming there are some unspoken rules concerning when non-GNU free
software may be adapted for use within the GNU System. And I assume the
Linux kernel fails to meet those rules. If the rules were published and
easy to find, such as on a web page about the GNU System, it might
result in fewer people making futile suggestions.

> Thomas Schwinge has already discussed with us many legal issues
> about such wikis.  So please don't start another wiki on your own.
> That would require having with you the same legal discussion we
> have already had with him.  Please don't make us duplicate effort.
> 
> Once he has made the right setup, the easiest thing to do is
> to use the one wiki site for both topics.

Okay, no GNU System wiki. Wikis are extremely efficient tools for online
collaboration, so expect more people to request them in the future. If
the FSF needs to place certain restrictions on their use, it may make
sense to document the requirements and restrictions so future Wikis can
be created without causing you a lot of work.

-Steve