# DistroTube: Richard Stallman Is Right To Be Angry About "Linux" **URL:** \ **Category:** Linux Distributions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2023, 11:23am UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923 "2023-07-25T11:23:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GraysonPeddie](https://community.learnlinux.tv/user_avatar/community.learnlinux.tv/graysonpeddie/32/352_2.png) [@GraysonPeddie](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/GraysonPeddie)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 11:23am UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/1 "2023-07-25T11:23:38Z")
Odysee video here: > **[Richard Stallman Is Right To Be Angry About "Linux"](https://odysee.com/@DistroTube:2/richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry:7)** > > In this "short" video...Is the operating system "Linux" or is it "GNU/Linux"? Honestly, Richard Stallman has a point...and he has a right to be mad about it. What are your thoughts regarding Richard Stallman being angry for not calling “Linux” “GNU/Linux?” My take is that at the end of the day, we can go into endless debate or go about our daily lives. In this case, I would still prefer to call “Linux” instead of “GNU/Linux” as an alternative to Windows and macOS and just go about my daily life. Yes, open source is important and so is GNU and GPL, but the reality is, we still call “Linux” as “Linux” and not “GNU/Linux” and I think calling it “Linux” just rolls off their tongue for most people. To me, that’s just the reality. If we go into endless debates about GNU/Linux and Linux, we must remember to keep it civil and be kind to others. Let me emphasize rule #1 by posting a link here: > [@Rule #1 - Be Kind!](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/rule-1-be-kind/513): > > This is the most important rule in this community, and everyone is expected to follow this rule. And the rule is simple - be kind! The LearnLinuxTV community aims to be the following: A place for fans to discuss topics surrounding Linux and its related technologies A place where you can chat without worry that someone will be an asshole A place where you will not be judged, made to feel inferior, or become nervous to ask for help More specific rules, in no particular order: No trolling No … (yawn) Not a good time to wake up just to hear anger from DistroTube… I hate to say that but man his video is just so pointless… And there goes my pointless thread… ---
**Author:** ![jay](https://community.learnlinux.tv/user_avatar/community.learnlinux.tv/jay/32/649_2.png) [@jay](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/jay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/2 "2023-07-25T19:23:28Z")
I thought about making a video on this actually, but I never did - but I probably won’t because in my opinion, this guy nails it: [![](https://community.learnlinux.tv/uploads/default/original/2X/3/3ab8bf2237dca6e49c1ae2ace03bff676fb73cd0.jpeg "Is Linux an OS, a kernel or both? (Linux vs GNU/Linux)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNeKYjWx-s4) ---
**Author:** ![ThatGuyB](https://community.learnlinux.tv/user_avatar/community.learnlinux.tv/thatguyb/32/784_2.png) [@ThatGuyB](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/ThatGuyB)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2023, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/3 "2023-07-25T22:35:01Z")
Alpine is running busybox and has none of the GNU userland, making it non-GNU Linux. What do we call Alpine, busybox/Linux? What about Android? Do we call it Dalvik/Linux? I like GNU Software, but each distro chooses its own name, be it Arch Linux, Alpine Linux, Linux Mint, NixOS and so on. I don’t even call these by their full names, they get the shortening arch, alpine, mint and nix (although shortening it might get it confused with the nix package manager, or nix the language). Imagine having to call them Arch GNU/Linux, Alpine (non-GNU) Linux, GNU/Linux Mint. And how about NixOS which don’t even go by Linux? Or even the FSF approved GNU Guix (although it makes up by having GNU in its name anyway). “Noo geeks” rolls off the tongue easily, but “noo leenaks” doesn’t feel as smooth (probably because of the different shapes your lips and mouth have to take in quick succession). Despite all that, I’m not opposed in principle to GNU/Linux, I just find it impractical. People can call it whatever they call, as long as they get the message across. If they want to attach GNU to it, then that’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![hypoiodous](https://community.learnlinux.tv/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f475e1/32.png) [@hypoiodous](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/hypoiodous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 9:49am UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/4 "2023-07-26T09:49:02Z")
I’m glad you didn’t make that video, this is a topic that has been revisited so many times already. > [@ThatGuyB](#): > > I just find it impractical. Spot on. Marketing departments that come up with catchy slogans and product names exist for a reason. “GNU” is awkward to write, awkward to say and awkward to explain to people. ---
**Author:** ![Louie1961](https://community.learnlinux.tv/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Louie1961](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/Louie1961)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/5 "2023-07-26T14:47:03Z")
I think Gary Simms has it exactly right, and Mr. Stallman is just sad because he is not in the limelight. ---
**Author:** ![hypoiodous](https://community.learnlinux.tv/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f475e1/32.png) [@hypoiodous](https://community.learnlinux.tv/u/hypoiodous)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2023, 6:12pm UTC](https://community.learnlinux.tv/t/distrotube-richard-stallman-is-right-to-be-angry-about-linux/2923/6 "2023-07-26T18:12:19Z")
To be fair, it’s his entire life’s work, which he has given away for free. It’s understandable that he’d like more appreciation for something used daily by just about everyone in existence today. But he already made it into the history record and his work acknowledged. He just picked a bad name 🤷‍♂️