GNU
GNU ("GNU is Not Unix", a [1]recursive acronym) is a large software
project established by [2]Richard Stallman, the inventor of [3]free (as in
freedom) software, running since 1983 with the goal of creating,
maintaining and improving a completely free (as in freedom) [4]operating
system, along with other free [5]software that computer users might need.
The project doesn't tolerate any [6]proprietary software (though it
unfortunately tolerates other proprietary [7]data). GNU achieved its goal
of creating their free operating system when a [8]kernel named [9]Linux
became part of it in the 90s as the last piece of the puzzle -- the system
should be called just GNU but is now rather known as GNU/Linux (watch out:
most so called "Linux systems" nowadays aren't embraced by GNU as they
diverge from GNU's strict policies on what the system should look like,
only a handful of operating systems are recommended by GNU). However, the
GNU project didn't end and continues to further develop the operating
system, or rather a myriad of user software that runs under the operating
system -- GNU develops a few of its projects itself and also offers
hosting and support (such as free legal defense) for GNU projects
developed by volunteers who dedicate their work to them. GNU gave rise to
the [10]Free Software Foundation and is one of the most important software
projects in history of computing.
The mascot of GNU is literally gnu (wildebeest), it is available under a
copyleft license. WARNING: ironically GNU is extremely protective of their
brand's "intellectual property" and will rape you if you use the name GNU
without permission (see the case of GNU boot). It's quite funny and
undermines the whole project a bit.
The GNU/Linux operating system has several variants in a form of a few GNU
approved "Linux" [11]ditributions such as [12]Guix, [13]Trisquel or
[14]Parabola. Most other "Linux" distros don't meet the strict standards
of GNU such as not including any proprietary software. In fact the
approved distros can't even use the standard version of [15]Linux because
that contains proprietary [16]blobs, a modified variant called
[17]Linux-libre has to be used.
GNU greatly prefers [18]GPL [19]licenses, i.e. it strives for [20]copyleft
and largely recommends it, even though it will also accept projects under
permissive licenses as those are still free. GNU also helps with enforcing
these licenses legally and advises developers to transfer their
[21]copyright to GNU so that they can "defend" the software for them.
If we still have a bit of freedom in computing nowadays, it is largely to
GNU -- this can't be stressed enough. But although GNU is great and has
been one of the best things to happen in software ever, it also has many
flaws, for example:
* GNU programs are typically [22]bloated -- although compared to
[23]Windows GNU programs are really light as a feather and though GNU
programs are also in many cases (but not always) quite optimized,
their source code, judged from strictly [24]suckless perspective, is
mostly huge, which many view as a big issue (it's a common theme,
there are [25]jokes such as GNU actually meaning Gigantic and Nasty
but Unavoidable and so on). This is likely because GNU chooses to
[26]battle proprietary programs, often by trying to beat them at their
own game, so features are preferred over [27]minimalism to stay
competitive.
* GNU also doesn't mind proprietary non-functional data (e.g. assets in
video games). This goes against [28]free culture and many other free
software groups, notably e.g. [29]Debian. Justifications for this
range from "data itself can't be harmful" (false), through "we just
focus on software" to "we need GNU to be more popular" (i.e.
compatible with proprietary games and so on). GNU is also generally
NOT supportive of [30]free culture and even uses copyright to prohibit
modifications of their propaganda texts: the [31]GFDL license they use
for texts may contain sections that are prohibited from being modified
and so are non-free by definition. They also try to "protect" their
names, you can't use the name "GNU" without their permission and so
on. This sucks big time and shows some of the movement's darker side.
* GNU greatly pushes [32]copyleft, which we, as well as many others,
oppose.
* GNU embraces complexity, plays the corporate game and rejects the true
way of freedom through [33]minimalism. GNU basically just makes a
mantra of "license with 4 freedoms on every software" and will mostly
ignore everything else, they'll just do whatever it takes to stick
with the mantra, i.e. GNU tries to achieve popularity, it tries to
[34]fight corporations, gets into activism, it will abuse copyright --
basically GNU wants to become a "superpower of freedom", it doesn't
mind hierarchy, state, control, it wants to replace corporations in
holding the power over technology, naively believing that it will be
using the power for good. That's why they embrace complexity and
harmful ways of [35]capitalist software (e.g. "GUI in everything",
"fuck Unix", ...), that is why they simply copy proprietary software 1
to 1, just with a free license, it helps them be popular (people can
drop in replace their proprietary software with GNU software), it also
helps them get a [36]monopoly they don't mind (remember, they even ask
people to transfer their copyright to them) as they DO want to become
a centralized superpower. Where corporations push JavaScript on
websites, GNU will just try to make sure the JavaScript has a free
license, instead of rejecting the idea of JavaScript on websites.
Where a corporation makes a "smart home", GNU will try to do the same,
just with free software, instead of rejecting such a dumb idea in the
first place. Anyone who ever saw anything from [37]history knows it's
not possible for a good superpower to exist -- no matter how pure it
starts, with power WILL come corruption no matter what, any superpower
will ALWAYS become evil. The TRUE way of freedom is simply abolishing
all superpowers, embracing minimalism and giving power to the people
instead of trying to fix maximalism and believe a monopoly will
somehow be good. Just take a look at [38]Wikipedia as a recent example
of how these things end. This philosophy is what helps GNU be big in
short term but it's also what will kill it in the long term.
* ...
History
The project officially started on September 27, 1983 by [39]Richard
Stallman's announcement titled Free Unix!. In it he expresses the intent
to create a [40]free as in freedom clone of the operating system [41]Unix,
and calls for people to join his effort (he also uses the term free
software here). Unix was a good, successful de-facto standard operating
system, but it was proprietary, owned by AT&T, and as such restricted by
licensing terms. GNU was to be a similar system, compatible with the
original Unix, but free as in freedom, i.e. freely available and allowing
anyone to use it, improve it and share it.
In 1985 Richard Stallman wrote the GNU Manifesto, similar to the original
project announcement, which further promoted the project and asked people
for help in development. At this point the GNU team already had a lot of
software for the new system: a text editor Emacs, a debugger, a number of
utility programs and a nearly finished shell and [42]C compiler ([43]gcc).
At this point each program of the project still had its own custom license
that legally made the software free as in freedom. The differences in
details of these licenses however caused issues such as legal
incompatibilities. This was addressed in 1989 by Richard Stallman's
creation of a universal free software license: GNU General Public License
([44]GPL) version 1. This license can be used for any free software
project and makes these projects legally compatible, while also utilizing
so called [45]copyleft: a requirement for derived works to keep the same
license, i.e. a legal mechanism for preventing people from making copies
of a free project non-free. Since then GPL has become the primary license
of the GNU project as well as of other unrelated projects.
GNU Projects
GNU has developed an almost unbelievable amount of software, it has
software for all basic and some advanced needs. As of writing this there
are 373 software packages in the official GNU repository (at
https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Main_Page). Below are just a few notable
projects under the GNU umbrella.
* [46]GNU Hurd (OS [47]kernel, alternative to [48]Linux)
* [49]GNU Compiler Collection (gcc, compiler for [50]C and other
languages)
* [51]GNU C Library (glibc, [52]C library)
* [53]GNU Core Utilities (coreutils, basic utility programs)
* [54]GNU Debugger (gdb, [55]debugger)
* [56]GNU Binary Utilities (binutils, programs for working with binary
programs)
* [57]GNU Chess (strong [58]chess engine)
* [59]GNU Go ([60]go game engine)
* [61]GNU Autotools ([62]build system)
* [63]CLISP (common [64]lisp language)
* GNU Pascal ([65]pascal compiler)
* [66]GIMP (image manipulation program, a "free [67]photoshop")
* GNU Emacs ([68]emacs text editor)
* [69]GNU Octave ([70]mathematics software, "free Matlab")
* [71]GNU Mediagoblin (decentralized file hosting on the [72]web)
* GNU Unifont ([73]unicode font)
* [74]GNU Privacy Guard (gpg, OpenPGP encryption)
* [GNU Scientific Library] (GSL, a nice [75]C library of mathematical
functions)
* [76]GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English
* ...
See Also
* [77]Free Software Foundation
* [78]Richard Stallman
* [79]GNG (GNG is Not GNU)
* [80]GNAA
* [81]copyleft
* [82]free software
Links:
1. recursion.md
2. rms.md
3. free_software.md
4. os.md
5. software.md
6. proprietary.md
7. data.md
8. kernel.md
9. linux.md
10. fsf.md
11. distro.md
12. guix.md
13. trisquel.md
14. parabola.md
15. linux.md
16. blob.md
17. linux_libre.md
18. gpl.md
19. license.md
20. copyleft.md
21. copyright.md
22. bloat.md
23. windows.md
24. suckless.md
25. joke.md
26. fight_culture.md
27. minimalism.md
28. free_culture.md
29. debian.md
30. free_culture.md
31. gfdl.md
32. copyleft.md
33. minimalism.md
34. fight_culture.md
35. capitalist_software.md
36. bloat_monopoly.md
37. history.md
38. wikipedia.md
39. rms.md
40. free_software.md
41. unix.md
42. c.md
43. gcc.md
44. gpl.md
45. copyleft.md
46. hurd.md
47. kernal.md
48. linux.md
49. gcc.md
50. c.md
51. glibc.md
52. c.md
53. gnu_coreutils.md
54. gdb.md
55. debugger.md
56. gnu_binutils.md
57. gnu_chess.md
58. chess.md
59. gnu_go.md
60. go.md
61. autotools.md
62. build_system.md
63. clisp.md
64. lisp.md
65. pascal.md
66. gimp.md
67. photoshop.md
68. emacs.md
69. octave.md
70. math.md
71. mediagoblin.md
72. web.md
73. unicode.md
74. gpg.md
75. c.md
76. gcide.md
77. fsf.md
78. rms.md
79. gng.md
80. gnaa.md
81. copyleft.md
82. free_software.md