Re: uname -s and naming confusion

[Tom Hart]

Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
> Robert Millan <zeratul2@wanadoo.es> writes:
>
>
> > On Thu, Oct 24, 2002 at 11:05:56AM -0700, Thomas Bushnell, BSG wrote:
> >
> > > Robert Millan <zeratul2@wanadoo.es> writes:
> > >
> > >
> > > > According to documentation of BSD Unix [1], the uname command appeared
> > > > in 4.4BSD distribution, and the -s option is suposed to:
> > >
> > > Oy, it gets even more confusing.  BSD has always used the term
> > > "operating system" to refer to the kernel.  
> >
> > heh, then i wonder how did they call the OS. anyway if the docs say
> > operating system IMHO this is what we're suposed to print ("do what i say
> > not what i do" ;))
>
>
> They called it the "distribution", as in the "Berkeley Software
> Distribution".  Isn't this fun! :)

This sort of ambiguity is common. The authors of a major OS textbook 
(http://www.bell-labs.com/topic/books/os-book/) refer to Mach as an 
"operating system".

> > > In any case, the output of a GNU/Hurd system on uname should match
> > > other GNU systems, and I don't see it as a particularly Hurd-specific
> > > issue.
> >
> > there's an important difference. "GNU/Hurd" is a more specific way
> > to refer to _the_ GNU system, while other GNU systems like GNU/Linux
> > are _variants_ of the GNU system.
>
>
> Sure, but I think practical consistency is important.  I'm happy to
> change the thing they way suggested here, but only if it's a change
> more general than just us.  Otherwise, we only spread confusion.

Doesn't a lot of this confusion come from:

1. No enforced standardization of terminology.

The GNU project uses the term "operating system" to refer to the 
complete *usable* system, ie. GNU, GNU/Hurd, GNU/Linux, and "kernel" to 
refer to the kernel, ie. Linux, Hurd/Mach, Hurd/L4, etc., whereas the 
BSD people say "operating system == kernel".

2. No authority mandating the names of operating systems (in the GNU 
sense of the term)

Last I checked, there's nothing stopping a company from putting out a 
system based on GNU, Linux, BSD, etc. and using any of these terms in 
the system's name. Mandrake could, for example, ship a product called 
the "Mandrake Operating System", which would be their distribution of 
GNU/Linux, without having either "GNU" or "Linux" in the system's name. 
Of course, everyone puts either "GNU/Linux" or "Linux" in their name so 
that everyone knows what they're talking about.

--
    _______________________________________________
   /                                               |
  /  Tom Hart                                      |
 |   hartte13@BrandonU.ca                          |
  \  "rmTFM - Build consistent interfaces."        |
   \_______________________________________________|