184 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
184 lines
8.5 KiB
Markdown
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# GNU/kWindows
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There has been a lot of talk lately about a most unique combination:
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[GNU][gnu]---the [fully free/libre][free-sw] operating system---and
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Microsoft Windows---the [freedom-denying, user-controlling,
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surveillance system][woe].
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There has also been a great deal of misinformation.
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I'd like to share my thoughts.
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[gnu]: https://gnu.org/gnu/gnu.html
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[free-sw]: https://gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
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[woe]: https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/malware-microsoft.en.html
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<!-- more -->
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Before we can discuss this subject,
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we need to clarify some terminology:
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We have a [free/libre][free-sw] operating system called [GNU][gnu].
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Usually, it's used with the kernel Linux, and is together called the
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[GNU/Linux (or GNU+Linux) operating system][gnulinux].
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But that's not always the case.
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For example, GNU can be run with its own kernel, [The GNU Hurd][hurd]
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(GNU/Hurd).
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It might be run on a system with a BSD kernel (e.g. GNU/kFreeBSD).
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But now, we have a situation where we're taking GNU/Linux, removing Linux,
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and adding in its place a Windows kernel.
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This combination is referred to as GNU/kWindows (GNU with the Windows kernel
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added).[^kwindows]
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GNU values users' freedoms.
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Windows [does exactly the opposite][woe].
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When users talk about the operating system "Linux", what they are referring
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to is the [GNU operating system][gnu] with the kernel Linux added.
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If you are using the GNU operating system in some form, then many of the
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programs you are familiar with on the command line are GNU programs:
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`bash`, `(g)awk`, `grep`, `ls`, `cat`, `bc`, `tr`, `gcc`, `emacs`, and
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so on.
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But GNU is a fully free/libre Unix replacement, [not just a collection of GNU
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programs][gnu].
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Linux is the kernel that supports what the operating system is trying to do;
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it provides what are called system calls to direct the kernel to perform
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certain actions, like fork new processes or allocate memory.
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This is an important distinction---not only is calling all of this software
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"Linux" incorrect, but it discredits the project that created a fully
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free/libre Unix replacement---[GNU][gnu].
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This naming issue is so widespread that
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[most users would not recognize what GNU is][gnu-noheard], even if they
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are _using_ a [GNU/Linux][gnulinux] operating system.
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I recently read an article that referred to GNU Bash as "Linux's Bash";
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this is simply a slap in the face to all the hackers that have for the
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past 26 years been writing what is one of today's most widely used
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shells on Unix-like systems (including on [Apple's][apple] proprietary
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Mac OSX), and all the other GNU hackers.
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Microsoft and Canonical have apparently been working together to write a
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subsystem that translates Linux system calls into something Windows will
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understand---a compatibility layer.
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So, software compiled to run on a system with the kernel Linux will work on
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Windows through system call translation.
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Many articles are calling this "Linux on Windows".
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This is a fallacy: the kernel Linux is not at all involved!
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What we are witnessing is the [_GNU_ operating system][gnu] running with
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a Windows kernel _instead_ of Linux.
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This is undoubtedly a technical advantage for Microsoft---Windows users want
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to do their computing in a superior environment that they might be
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familiar with on [GNU/Linux][gnulinux] or other Unix-like operating
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systems, like [Apple's][apple] freedom-denying Mac OSX.
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But thinking about it like this is missing an essential concept:
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When users talk about "Linux" as the name of the operating system, they
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avoid talking about [GNU][gnu].
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And by avoiding mention of GNU,
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they are also avoiding discussion of the core principles upon which GNU is
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founded---the belief that all users deserve
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[software granting _four essential freedoms_][free-sw]:
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the freedom to use the program for any purpose;
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the freedom to study the program and modify it to suit your needs (or
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have someone do it on your behalf);
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the freedom to share the program with others;
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and the freedom to share your changes with others.
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We call software that respects these four freedoms
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[_free/libre software_][free-sw].
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Free software is absolutely essential:
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it ensures that _users_,
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who are the most vulnerable,
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are in control of their computing---not software developers or
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corporations.
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Any program that denies users any one of their [four freedoms][free-sw] is
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_non-free_ (or _proprietary_)---that is, freedom-denying software.
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This means that any non-free software, no matter its features or
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performance, will [_always_ be inferior to free software][oss] that
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performs a similar task.
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Not everyone likes talking about freedom or the
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[free software philosophy][free-sw].
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This disagreement resulted in the
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["open source" development methodology][oss],
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which exists to sell the benefits of free software to businesses *without*
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discussing the essential ideological considerations.
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Under the "open source" philosophy,
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if a non-free program provides better features or performance,
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then surely it must be "better",
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because they have outperformed the "open source" development methodology;
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non-free software isn't always considered to be a bad thing.
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So why would users want to use GNU/kWindows?
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Well, probably for the same reason that they want GNU tools on Mac OSX:
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they want to use software they want to use, but they also want the
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technical benefits of GNU that they like.
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What we have here is the ["open source" philosophy][oss]---because if the
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user truly valued her freedom, she would use a
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[fully free operating system like GNU/Linux][gnulinux-distros].
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If a user is _already_ using Windows (that is, before considering
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GNU/kWindows), then she does gain some freedom by installing GNU:
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she has more software on her system that respects her freedoms,
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and she is better off because of that.
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But what if you're using GNU/Linux today?
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In that case,
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it is a major downgrade to switch to a GNU/kWindows system;
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by doing so, you are [surrendering your freedom to Microsoft][woe].
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It does not matter how many shiny features Microsoft might introduce into
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its [freedom-denying surveillance system][woe];
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an [operating system that respects your freedoms][gnulinux-distros] will
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_always_ be a superior choice.
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We would do our best to dissuade users from switching to a GNU/kWindows
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system for the technical benefits that GNU provides.
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So we have a couple different issues---some factual, some philosophical:
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Firstly,
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please don't refer to GNU/kWindows as "Linux on Windows", or any variant
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thereof;
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doing so simply propagates misinformation that not only confounds the
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situation, but discredits the thousands of hackers working on the
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[GNU operating system][gnu].
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It would also be best if you avoid calling it "Ubuntu on Windows";
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it isn't a factually incorrect statement---you are running Ubuntu's
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distribution of GNU---but it still avoids mentioning the
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[GNU Project][gnu]. If you want to give Ubuntu credit for working with
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Microsoft, please call it "Ubuntu GNU/kWindows" instead of "Ubuntu".
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By mentioning GNU,
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users will ask questions about the project,
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and might look it up on their own.
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They will read about [the free software philosophy][free-sw],
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and will hopefully begin to understand these issues---issues that they
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might not have even been aware of to begin with.
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Secondly,
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when you see someone using a GNU/kWindows system,
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politely ask them why.
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Tell them that there is a _better_ operating system out there---the
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[GNU/Linux operating system][gnu]---that not only provides those technical
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features,
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but also provides the feature of _freedom_!
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Tell them what [free software][free-sw] is,
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and try to relate it to them so that they understand why it is important,
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and even practical.
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It's good to see more people benefiting from GNU;
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but we can't be happy when it is being sold as a means to draw users into
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an otherwise [proprietary surveillance system][woe],
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without so much as a mention of our name,
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or [what it is that we stand for][gnu].
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[^kwindows]: This name comes from [Richard Stallman][rms], founder of the
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[GNU Project][gnu].
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[hurd]: https://gnu.org/software/hurd/
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[oss]: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
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[gnulinux]: https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html
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[gnulinux-distros]: https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html
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[apple]: https://stallman.org/apple.html
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[rms]: https://www.fsf.org/about/staff-and-board
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[gnu-noheard]: https://gnu.org/gnu/gnu-users-never-heard-of-gnu.html
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---
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featured: true
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---
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