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Re: What is ‘OS’? (was: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation)
From: |
Dmitry Alexandrov |
Subject: |
Re: What is ‘OS’? (was: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation) |
Date: |
Fri, 08 Nov 2019 22:45:18 +0300 |
User-agent: |
Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13) Emacs/27.0.50 (gnu/linux) |
Akira Urushibata <afu@wta.att.ne.jp> wrote:
> Subscribers of this mailing list know what an operating system is.
Yes, they for sure know. But I would not sure, that they _agree_ on what ‘OS’
is.
If we exclude marginal ones (like OS == kernel), I am aware of two consistent
definitions of ‘operating system’:
1. Operating system is a set of auxiliary programs, necessary to use
applications, which are the programs that you actually want to use to solve
some tasks. Where these programs come from is irrelevant.
Since the criterion is purely subjective, there is no precise boundary: if you
perform some scientific calculations and also use, say, youtube-dl(1), the same
Python can be both application and a part of the OS for you.
2. Operating system is set of programs, installable on the top of hardware,
distributed by a single vendor. In other words, it is exactly the same as
distribution (‘distro’).
Despite that this criterion is objective, the same program still can be both:
Minesweeper™ and KMines are part of operating system as long as they are
distributed within MS Windows and Debian respectively, but are not if installed
separately.
These two definitions are not unrelated, though. You might easily come to idea
to install the latest Python from upstream if you write in it, and hardly
bother to get to know, in which language youtube-dl is written, at the same
time.
So feel free to mix them in right proportions to construct a desired discourse.
Back to the question of (dis)agreement, though.
Those, who like to talk about GNU (on Linux or otherwise) operating system as a
fait accompli, are evidently inclined to the first one.
While those who were going to dub Guix, the distribution, ‘the GNU OS’ few
years ago in order to finally fulfil the GNU Manifesto, seem to prefer the
second.
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- Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, (continued)
- Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, Kaz Kylheku (gnu-misc-discuss), 2019/11/09
- Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, Jean Louis, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, Alexandre François Garreau, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Jean Louis, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Alexandre François Garreau, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Jean Louis, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Alexandre François Garreau, 2019/11/10
- Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Marcel, 2019/11/10
Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, Alexandre François Garreau, 2019/11/08
Re: Why GNU/Linux is not accepted: an observation, Jean Louis, 2019/11/08
Re: What is ‘OS’? (was: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation),
Dmitry Alexandrov <=
Re: Why "GNU/Linux" is not accepted: an observation, Akira Urushibata, 2019/11/12