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# GNU
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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.
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GNU (*"GNU is Not Unix"*, a [recursive](recursion.md) acronym) is a large software project established 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 unfortunately tolerates other proprietary [data](data.md)). 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.
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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.
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**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.
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**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:
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**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:
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- **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.
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- **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.
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- **GNU greatly pushes [copyleft](copyleft.md)**, which we, as well as many others, oppose.
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- **GNU embraces complexity, plays the corporate game and rejects the true way of freedom through [minimalism](minimalism.md)**. GNU basically just makes a mantra of "license with 4 freedoms on every software" and will mostly ignore everything else, they'll just do whatever it takes to stick with the mantra, i.e. GNU tries to achieve popularity, it tries to [fight](fight_culture.md) corporations, gets into activism, it will abuse copyright -- basically GNU wants to become a "superpower of freedom", it doesn't mind hierarchy, state, control, it wants to replace corporations in holding the power over technology, naively believing that it will be using the power for good. That's why they embrace complexity and harmful ways of [capitalist software](capitalist_software.md) (e.g. "GUI in everything", "fuck Unix", ...), that is why they simply copy proprietary software 1 to 1, just with a free license, it helps them be popular (people can drop in replace their proprietary software with GNU software), it also helps them get a [monopoly](bloat_monopoly.md) they don't mind (remember, they even ask people to transfer their copyright to them) as they DO want to become a centralized superpower. Where corporations push JavaScript on websites, GNU will just try to make sure the JavaScript has a free license, instead of rejecting the idea of JavaScript on websites. Where a corporation makes a "smart home", GNU will try to do the same, just with free software, instead of rejecting such a dumb idea in the first place. Anyone who ever saw anything from [history](history.md) knows it's not possible for a good superpower to exist -- no matter how pure it starts, with power WILL come corruption no matter what, any superpower will ALWAYS become evil. The TRUE way of freedom is simply abolishing all superpowers, embracing minimalism and giving power to the people instead of trying to fix maximalism and believe a monopoly will somehow be good. Just take a look at [Wikipedia](wikipedia.md) as a recent example of how these things end. This philosophy is what helps GNU be big in short term but it's also what will kill it in the long term.
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## History
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