Ubuntu QA:
BlogBrainstormPackage status
Log in
Ubuntu QA
The Ubuntu community has contributed 17459 ideas, 107690 comments, 2263278 votes
Idea sandbox Idea sandbox
Popular ideas Popular ideas
Ideas in development Ideas in development
Implemented ideas Implemented ideas
Idea #1492: Must Change the name

Written by kyubi the 29 Feb 08 at 15:19. Category: Others. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
They might add GNU/Linux to the name, example:

Ubuntu GNU/Linux.

Sometimes Cononical refers to Ubuntu as Ubuntu Linux, and other people more...

Linux is only the kernel of the OS, the complete OS is named GNU/Linux.

Ubuntu as son of Debian GNU/Linux, must use GNU/Linux in its name.

It's GNU/Linux, dammit....
Tags: (none)

-304
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #1492
Written by kyubi the 29 Feb 08 at 15:19.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #1492 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

Propose your solution

Attachments
No attachments.


Duplicates


Comments
frandavid100 wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:20
Ubuntu is neat and easy to remember.

Eldmannen wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:20
Ubuntu is based on Debian, and Debian is called Debian GNU/Linux.

johimself wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:23
"Ubuntu" is nice and simple, adding TLAs and "geeky" things like "Linux", "Unix" etc make it more intimidating for the it novices.

skyhook19 wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:24
I agree, we don't need to add anything to the name Ubuntu to try to make it sound geekier.

inselaffe wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:29
Thinks like this are what makes a lot of people not give Linux in general a second glance. What next - change the startup sound to an demonstration of how to pronounce Linux as "Linnux"?

superkoop wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:49
Ubuntu GNU/Linux = too long.

Ubuntu = perfect length.

dan.fernandez wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 15:55
First idea i'm modding down here...

There are lots of other distros (both commertial and community mantained) that doesn't stick the "GNU/Linux" in the middle of the name. It's too long, it's counter-intuitive, and it's hard to pronounce. Ubuntu should keep it simple on that issue.

ebrahim wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 16:08
Not 'Ubuntu GNU/Linux' and **never** 'Ubuntu Linux'.
A simple 'Ubuntu' is the best name.

Remmy wrote on the 29 Feb 08 at 19:40
Actually, it's the GNU project that thinks it should be called GNU/Linux. Who made them the boss of what we want to call it?

yaroman86 wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 04:32
I don't like it. I still think the idea of "GNU/Linux" as opposed to just "Linux" is merely RMS trying to steal credit from Torvalds. Lets just stick with "Ubuntu."

AndrewC wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 04:34
Wow, I didn't know Richard Stallman had an account here!

racoon97 wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 07:17
kyubi, it's a very bad idea. Ubuntu is the best name. GNU/Linux ? Very funny. Seriously, his name is Ubuntu, not GNU/linux : simple and easy to pronounce for everyone.

probono wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 17:28
Ubuntu happens to use Linux and some GNU components. So what? It also happens to use GNOME, GIMP and whatnot. If you added all of those to the name, you would end up with a book instead of a name ;-)

Bram S wrote on the 1 Mar 08 at 19:49
kyubi (or should i say Richard?), Ubuntu is popular due to its non-geekyness. Now do you really wanna take that away from it?

deadowl wrote on the 5 Mar 08 at 19:31
If I accidentally said Linux instead of GNU/Linux in front of Richard Stallman, I would run for the hills.

Zugol wrote on the 14 Mar 08 at 19:06
When I introduce myself I use my own name. I don't tell people I'm homo-sapience-sapience. Did you ?

tromboneman wrote on the 15 Mar 08 at 21:02
FYI: Richard Stallman did way more work on the GNU/Linux OS than Torvalds did. Even according to Torvalds, "I'm basically a very lazy person who likes to get credit for things other people actually do." Torvalds is the social engineer, and Stallman is the programming genius. Torvalds knows how to get people to do what he wants and contribute to his software. Stallman on the other hand, doesn't really understand that piece. Stallman is the programmer and philosopher, and Torvalds is the figurehead. Period.

EinKinder wrote on the 24 Mar 08 at 04:46


FYI: Richard Stallman did way more work on the GNU/Linux OS than Torvalds did. Even according to Torvalds, "I'm basically a very lazy person who likes to get credit for things other people actually do." Torvalds is the social engineer, and Stallman is the programming genius. Torvalds knows how to get people to do what he wants and contribute to his software. Stallman on the other hand, doesn't really understand that piece. Stallman is the programmer and philosopher, and Torvalds is the figurehead. Period.



This is by no mean the place the place for that kind of debate. Brainstorm is meant to be used for productive and constructive purposes, neither of which are served by you comment.

As for the idea, voted down for irrelevance. Sorry.

Remco wrote on the 27 Mar 08 at 19:45
Why not call it Ubuntu/Debian/Apt/Gnome/Gnu/Linux?

tromboneman wrote on the 31 Mar 08 at 17:37
@EinKinder - This is just awful! By voting +1, you are saying you support Richard Stallman and the FSF, and that you use Ubuntu GNU/Linux for the freedom. By voting -1, you are saying that you only use "Linux" because it fits your temporary practical needs.

Saying GNU preserves the freedom!

"When I [have people call it GNU/Linux], some people think that it's because I want my ego to be fed, right? Of course, I'm not asking you to call it 'Stallmanix'!"
-Stallman

gcc wrote on the 1 Apr 08 at 14:15
I agree with this idea... I think the name of the distro should be Ubuntu (it's shorter, OK), but in the stickers that canonical sends it whould say Ubuntu GNU/Linux for human beings.

GNU is the OS, linux it's just a kernel... I don't use Linux, I use GNU ;)

tbrminsanity wrote on the 18 Apr 08 at 18:09
From a marketing point of view it is better to just call it Ubuntu and say it is a Linux or GNU/Linux OS.

Please don't confuse the non-users, they don't know better.

mrkennie wrote on the 19 May 08 at 11:58
God forbid anyone calling it Ubuntu GNU and leaving out the Linux part eh? +1 for GNU/Linux, credit where credit's due IMO.

mrkennie wrote on the 19 May 08 at 11:59
God forbid anyone calling it Ubuntu GNU and leaving out the Linux part eh? +1 for GNU/Linux, credit where credit's due IMO.

mrkennie wrote on the 19 May 08 at 11:59
God forbid anyone calling it Ubuntu GNU and leaving out the Linux part eh? +1 for GNU/Linux, credit where credit's due IMO.

probono wrote on the 31 May 08 at 12:42
Both Linux and the GNU components are just tiny fractions of the overall codebase of upstream projects that go into Ubuntu. Future versions of Ubunu might also run with other kernels and other compilers. So neither Linux nor GNU should be added to the Ubuntu brand.

Clorox wrote on the 21 Jun 09 at 03:13
Why does everyone keep saying "Ubuntu GNU/Linux" is too long? Debian is officially "Debian GNU/Linux", but everyone calls it Debian. I don't see a problem with that.


Post your comment