"Revolution OS" (The Movie).

[Sridhar Dhanapalan]

On Saturday 30 December 2006 05:31, Derek Broughton <news at pointerstop.ca> 
wrote:
> Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> > On Friday 29 December 2006 01:48, Derek Broughton <news at pointerstop.ca>
> >
> > wrote:
> >> Sridhar Dhanapalan wrote:
> >> > On Thursday 28 December 2006 14:32, Derek Broughton
> >> > <news at pointerstop.ca>
> >> >
> >> > wrote:
> >> >> Care to define "Operating System"?  By any definition I've
> >> >> read, the kernel IS the operating system.  Everything else is just
> >> >> bells
> >> >> and whistles.  Credit _is_ given to those who wrote components of the
> >> >> kernel that weren't in his original version.
> >> >
> >> > I don't know where you get your definitions from, but you'd be
> >> > hard-pressed to do _anything_ with your computer with just a kernel.
> >> > It may form a central component of an operating system, but most
> >> > kernels aren't particularly viable on their own. Linux is no
> >> > exception: it requires a userland (GNU or otherwise) in order to
> >> > operate.
> >>
> >> From wikipedia: "An operating system (OS) is a computer program that
> >> manages the hardware and software resources of a computer. At the
> >> foundation of all system software, the OS performs basic tasks such as
> >> controlling and allocating memory, prioritizing system requests,
> >> controlling input and output devices, facilitating networking, and
> >> managing files. It also may provide a graphical user interface for
> >> higher level functions."
> >>
> >> Essentially the same thing is said in my OS references. ALL of those
> >> functions - excepting the optional GUI - are in the Linux kernel.
> >
> > Linux (i.e. the kernel) provides the means for higher-level software
> > (e.g. the GNU toolchain) to interface with the system, but it does not
> > provide a means for a _user_ to use the system.
> >
> > I am still not convinced that you could use a computer with just plain
> > vanilla Linux.
>
> I haven't claimed you could.  But by definition, the OS doesn't have to
> provide those "higher level functions".  The kernel _is_ the OS, a
> fully-functioning computer requires, at the very least, a UI.

An operating system facilitates the usage of a computer system. Linux does not 
do this. Note that the example given in the Wikipedia article of a 'higher 
level function' is a GUI, not anything simpler like a CLI. Linux (kernel) is 
not an operating system. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a kernel 
developer who would label it as such.


-- 
	The Information Revolution will be fought on the command line.
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