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gnu.md
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# GNU
GNU (*"GNU is Not Unix"*, a [recursive](recursion.md) acronym) is a large project started by [Richard Stallman](rms.md), the inventor of [free (as in freedom) software](free_software.md), running since 1983 with the goal of creating a completely free (as in freedom) [operating system](os.md), along with other free [software](software.md) that computer users might need. The project doesn't tolerate any [proprietary](proprietary.md) software (though it sadly tolerates proprietary data). The project achieved its goal of creating a complete operating system when a [kernel](kernel.md) named [Linux](linux.md) became part of it in the 90s as the last piece of the puzzle -- the system is now known as GNU/Linux. However, the GNU project didn't end and continues to further develop the operating system as well as a myriad of other software projects it hosts. GNU gave rise to the [Free Software Foundation](fsf.md) and is one of the most important software projects in history of computing.
GNU (*"GNU is Not Unix"*, a [recursive](recursion.md) acronym) is a large software project started by [Richard Stallman](rms.md), the inventor of [free (as in freedom) software](free_software.md), running since 1983 with the goal of creating, maintaining and improving a completely free (as in freedom) [operating system](os.md), along with other free [software](software.md) that computer users might need. The project doesn't tolerate any [proprietary](proprietary.md) software (though it sadly tolerates proprietary data). GNU achieved its goal of creating their free operating system when a [kernel](kernel.md) named [Linux](linux.md) 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 [Free Software Foundation](fsf.md) 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" [ditributions](distro.md) such as [Guix](guix.md), [Trisquel](trisquel.md) or [Parabola](parabola.md). 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 [Linux](linux.md) because that contains proprietary [blobs](blob.md), a modified variant called [Linux-libre](linux_libre.md) has to be used.
GNU greatly prefers [GPL](gpl.md) [licenses](license.md), i.e. it strives for [copyleft](copyleft.md), even though it accepts even projects under permissive licenses. GNU also helps with enforcing these licenses legally and advises developers to transfer their [copyright](copyright.md) to GNU so that they can "defend" the software for them.
**GNU greatly prefers [GPL](gpl.md) [licenses](license.md)**, i.e. it strives for [copyleft](copyleft.md) 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 [copyright](copyright.md) to GNU so that they can "defend" the software for them.
Although GNU is great and has been one of the best things to happen in software ever, it has many flaws. For example their programs are known to be kind of a [bloat](bloat.md), at least from the strictly [suckless](suckless.md) perspective. **It also doesn't mind proprietary non-functional data** (e.g. assets in video games) and their obsession with copyleft also isn't completely aligned with [LRS](lrs.md). GNU is also generally **NOT supportive of [free culture](free_culture.md) and use copyright to prohibit modifications of their propaganda texts**: the [GFDL](gfdl.md) license they use for texts may contain sections that are prohibited from being modified and so are non-free by definition. This sucks big time and shows some of fascist corruption within the movement.
**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 [bloated](bloat.md)** -- although compared to [Windows](windows.md) 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 [suckless](suckless.md) perspective, is mostly huge, which many view as a big issue (it's a common theme, there are [jokes](joke.md) such as GNU actually meaning *Gigantic and Nasty but Unavoidable* and so on). This is likely because GNU chooses to [battle](fight_culture.md) proprietary programs, often by trying to beat them at their own game, so features are preferred over [minimalism](minimalism.md) to stay competitive.
- **GNU also doesn't mind proprietary non-functional data** (e.g. assets in video games). This goes against [free culture](free_culture.md) and many other free software groups, notably e.g. [Debian](debian.md). 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 [free culture](free_culture.md) and even uses copyright to prohibit modifications of their propaganda texts**: the [GFDL](gfdl.md) 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 [copyleft](copyleft.md)**, which we, as well as many others, oppose.
## History