[geeks] Re: linux is not unix

[Greg A. Woods]

[[ MOVE IT TO GEEKS!!!!! ]]

[ On Wednesday, September 5, 2001 at 22:01:02 (-0400), Joshua D Boyd wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: [rescue] This Just In: HP to buy Compaq
>
> Personally, I think that claiming that Linux isn't unix is a very pathetic
> and artificial distinction.  The only evidence that has been pointed out
> to support this is lack of Unix98 certification and that it wasn't based
> directly on either the BSD code or the AT&T code.

GNU/Linux doesn't even necessarily try to follow in the spirit of Unix.
This is in part due to its extremely strong reliance on GNU tools for
its API and user-land, but also in part due to its strange kernel too.

> For the Unix98 "problem", I answer that is something not Unix just because
> there isn't a central authority to pay for the certification?

Not to be too picky or anything (my favourite NetBSD doesn't meet Unix98
either), but there certainly _IS_ a central authority who you can pay to
get full and proper Unix certification, and strictly you cannot call
your system a "unix system" unless you have had it certified as one.
Indeed if you try to declare your system to be a "unix system" without
having first obtained the necessary certification to do so that central
agency will send you a very scary "cease and desist" letter and if you
fail to obey it they'll haul your arse directly into court faster than
you can spell "unix".

This is a game played by large corporations with many lawyers and lots
of funding.

Other large corporations who play other similar games by similar rules
don't like these petty little up-start things like *BSD, GNU/Linux,
etc., because they don't get to play with them by the same rules.

>  What about
> OpenBSD or NetBSD?  I doubt anyone could seriously claim that they aren't
> Unix, but I don't think they are certified.

No, *BSD are most certainly not certified to be real Unix, and as a
user, administrator, and kernel hacker of at least NetBSD and FreeBSD I
can assure you that though they try VERY hard to follow strictly in the
spirit of Unix (and IMNSHO succeed infinitely better then GNU/Linux),
they are most definitely not Unix either, even if you ignore the silly
corporate certification game and look only at the spirit and philosophy....

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

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