What's The Best 'Linux'? It's GNU/Linux!

One of the most often asked questions is what is the best "Linux?" Well, the answer to this question is obvious. But first, I'd just like to interject for a moment...

TEXT IS A COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING:

MUSIC:
► Wishful Thinking by Dan Lebowitz, from the YouTube Audio Library

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[onceuponaban]

Is this where we add in the copypasta about Alpine?

[dkosmari]

Great educational video. Here's my 2 cents:
- Keep dates, years, quantities, on screen for as long as they're relevant for the video; the random sequence of images can distract from the audio. Some people don't catch on, that GNU was around for years prior to Linux existing.
- Back in the day, people would simply install GNU on their UNIX systems. They'd go and start replacing the proprietary components, because the GNU version of them was so much better. Eventually the only original component left would be the kernel; and on top of it, GNU bash, GNU coreutils, GNU libc, GNU compiler, GNU binutils, etc. So the "GNU on top of a 3rd party kernel" was there since the beginning.
- It's fair to keep mentioning Linux in the GNU/Linux name, as we still need Linux-specific software, like drivers.
- Also, a Linux-based OS without GNU could be mentioned: Android.

[HTA]

Leave it to DT to professionally make an 8 min video about a meme

[primalpenguin]

The formatting of this video is very nice & professional.

[Gabifuertes]

I love how RMS says "Linux is _only_ the kernel". It also happens to be about the most important part of the OS. If anybody studied operating systems know what an OS is about: providing an environment to run your program abstracting the hardware. Processes get managed through time and space, or cpu and memory, trough scheduling and memory management schemes (in any real OS) or just allowing a single process (in DOS). Storage is abstracted through the file system. The user won't have to know how to store data on different kinds of media. They have something a lot easier to think about: files.

A usable system requieres quite a few things more: networking, a display manager, user management, to name a few.

[marioschroers]

This is almost like an educational ad. Brilliant job, DT!

The nomenclature of GNU/Linux is quite confusing though. Even though I read a fair bit about it, it actually took me a while to really understand the impact of GNU and what GNU is all about.

In sum, we can think of Linux as the actual kernel, and GNU as all the commands we use to interact with the kernel and the system. Be it something as simple as ls, cp, mv, or even the infamous dd and rm, that's all GNU. Basically, whenever we speak of learning or using »Linux commands«, we are actually talking about »GNU commands«.

While I now understand the importance of GNU, I still don't refer to it as GNU/Linux all the time (though occasionally, I do). I really consider these two layers as a unit.

But I think it's important and only fair to really educate people about this difference, and what each of the two components actually is.

[anonamos]

This is the best "clickbait" I've ever clicked on. Very educational.

[jouniosmala]

GNU/Linux was maybe reasonable clarification when user space was in GNU projects. Now there is more and more non-gnu alternatives that people can choose. Linux has established itself as a name that is popularly known, and we shouldn't confuse people who barely know about computers by trying to define terms in that way. The attempt to do so was very heavy in the late 90's and we now see the results of how effective it was. Only thing it shows anymore is fragmentation of community, and potential users seeing minefield of ideological battles.

[skapator]

Actually it's not coffee. It's cup/coffee/sugar/water beverage with water being the major contributor.

[southgonholditdown]

You can tell this pasta is old by those code percentages, to update you all it's actually 68% systemd on my systemd/linux machine

[sinekonata]

Thank you for making this video. It's important yet often overlooked call back to FSF values.
In the convenience vs principles equilibrium, 99% of free software users lean heavily towards the former side.
I'm happy to see a big youtuber like you is on this side, it encourages everyone else towards more strength and hard work. Courage is contagious.

[trupusss]

You just put the quality of your videos to a whole new level! Thank you for your work for community.

[aesculetum]

I can't decide on the sincerity of this video. Was it tongue-in-cheek? Was it genuine? Like a true work of art, I shall never know for certain.

[candyczar]

In ~10 years it will be Systemd/Linux ;)

[kunt]

If Stallman had used youtube. He would have sent Luke Smith to Gnulag.

[rickbhattacharya]

The video format is really good .


BTW this video is brought to you by Free Software Foundation .

[andrewpalm]

Absolutely love the graphic of different distribution users at 0:49.

[MichaelAMalone]

Wow... That's about all I need to say I think. I've been using Linux (GNU/Linux) full time now for only 6 months or so. This is the most interesting and clear talk/rant about G/L that I've ever heard.. Thanks DT

[katkak]

Yoo my unixporn screenshot is in the thumbnail!! Very informative video DT!

[TheToniz]

Why my unix porn screenshot is at the thumbnail??? I'm flattered