in reply to Re^2: (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used
in thread (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used

Yes, people often use terms in a misleading way, because they make up their own definition, or because they follow a convention or habit, which may be wrong. People often say America when they refer to the USA, which is plain wrong. America is a continent, not a nation, a country or a collection of states.

For some reason there is the distinction between kernel, system software and applications to keep things apart.

The kernel alone makes no operating system. An operating system is the functional unit comprised by the kernel and the system software. Period. In that sense referring to Linux as an operating system is wrong: an operating system with the Linux kernel is called more accurately Linux/GNU (or GNU/Linux, there's also GNU/Hurd), since the kernel is called Linux, and the system software is GNU.

OTOH it can be debated whether the different Linux distributions (Debian, Mandrake, Gentoo, RedHat, SuSE to name a few) differ so much in their system software that their respective undelying OS may be called an own distinct operating system. Since they ship oodles of applications, some of which are tightly integrated into the system software via dependencies, they are distributions.

IMHO the *BSD variants show that distinction best: there's the kernel and the system software in a minimal install. All else lives in the ports tree.

--shmem 

_($_=" "x(1<<5)."?\n".q·/)Oo.  G°\        /
                              /\_¯/(q    /
----------------------------  \__(m.====·.(_("always off the crowd"))."·
");sub _{s./.($e="'Itrs `mnsgdq Gdbj O`qkdq")=~y/"-y/#-z/;$e.e && print}
  • Comment on Re^3: (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used

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Re^4: (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used
by Anonymous Monk on Oct 16, 2006 at 16:52 UTC

    Common usage, Wikipedia and Merriam-Webster all agree that one can refer to the country as America. The displeasure this causes you does not make it "plain wrong".

[reply]
Re^4: (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used
by ikegami (Patriarch) on Oct 16, 2006 at 18:20 UTC

    The kernel alone makes no operating system

    Careful now. The machine on which I work (a real-time control system) has nothing that could be considered "system software". The kernel alone is the OS.

[reply]
Re^4: (OT) command for finding out which distribution of Linux is being used
by Mr. Muskrat (Canon) on Oct 16, 2006 at 16:28 UTC

    "America is a continent, not a nation, a country or a collection of states."

    Really? I thought that North America and South America were continents. America is the name of a few bands, some albums, the title of no less than eight songs, a film, a fews books and novels, a poem, a soap opera, a TV station, a magazine, a video game, a story, a racing yacht, an airplane, three US Navy ships, and a passenger liner. -- source: America

    If you are going to be picky about misusing a name, at least get your details right. =D

[reply]
      Ah, context ;-)

      You're right about the meanings of America in different contexts. But in the context I used the term, I'm right. Just to continue being picky:

      I thought that North America and South America were continents.
      Nope, North America and South America are both regions (or, one might say, subcontinents) of the continent America.

      --shmem 

      _($_=" "x(1<<5)."?\n".q·/)Oo.  G°\        /
                              /\_¯/(q    /
----------------------------  \__(m.====·.(_("always off the crowd"))."·
");sub _{s./.($e="'Itrs `mnsgdq Gdbj O`qkdq")=~y/"-y/#-z/;$e.e && print}
[reply]
        That's some high horse on which you ride! As detailed by Wikipedia, there are many different thoughts on which land masses are continents. For example, Merriam-Webster considers North America and South America seperate continents.
[reply]

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