Twitter post by Daniel Feldman (@d_feldman): Linux is the only major operating system to support diagonal mode (credit [Twitter] @xssfox). Image shows an untrawide monitor rotated about 45 degrees, with a horizontal IDE window taking up a bottom triangle. A web browser and settings menu above it are organized creating a window shape almost like a stepped pyramid.

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[–] MashedTech@lemmy.world 65 points 6 months ago (33 children)

I’d just like to interject for a moment. What you’re refering to as Linux, is in fact, GNU/Linux, or as I’ve recently taken to calling it, GNU plus Linux. Linux is not an operating system unto itself, but rather another free component of a fully functioning GNU system made useful by the GNU corelibs, shell utilities and vital system components comprising a full OS as defined by POSIX.

Many computer users run a modified version of the GNU system every day, without realizing it. Through a peculiar turn of events, the version of GNU which is widely used today is often called Linux, and many of its users are not aware that it is basically the GNU system, developed by the GNU Project.

There really is a Linux, and these people are using it, but it is just a part of the system they use. Linux is the kernel: the program in the system that allocates the machine’s resources to the other programs that you run. The kernel is an essential part of an operating system, but useless by itself; it can only function in the context of a complete operating system. Linux is normally used in combination with the GNU operating system: the whole system is basically GNU with Linux added, or GNU/Linux. All the so-called Linux distributions are really distributions of GNU/Linux!

[–] ylph@lemmy.world 21 points 6 months ago (5 children)

You can have a Linux distro without GNU -Alpine Linux is a popular example

[–] mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 6 months ago (3 children)

You can have a GNU distro without Linux - Debian GNU/Hurd and Debian GNU/kFreeBSD are popular examples

[–] ylph@lemmy.world 14 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I think "popular" is stretching it here, Debian GNU/kFreeBSD is dead now, and while Hurd is interesting, it has ways to go.

Alpine is actually popular, particularly as a lightweight host OS to run docker.

[–] Overshoot2648@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Honestly, I think the only interesting micro kernel right now is Redox OS.

[–] mexicancartel@lemmy.dbzer0.com -2 points 6 months ago

I just imitated your tone with 'popular' didnt mean anything much.

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