2mo ago

Ironically, people making fun of the "Gnu/Linux" copypasta is probably one of the main ways people know what Gnu is

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I learned about it because Richard stallman gave a speech at my campus (pre-controversy) and half his speech was the gnu copy pasta unironically. Which I get, if i made core software that most of the world's server runs on, I wouldn't shut up about it either.
I know GNU because it’s a recursive acronym.
- The real Linux fork bomb
- No one can really know what GNU stands for unless they can perform an infinite recursion in constant time.
  
  GNU isn't entirely infinite though. After unpacking GNU is Not Unix 10^45 times, you actually find out what the final G is for.
  
  NaN's not UNIX
- I like using the GNU's Not Unix Image Manipulation Program ToolKit when I make GUIs.
  
  Ah, so a GUI is in fact a GNU User Interface ?
  
  *GNU is my pepper
  
  yeah, but what does GNU stand for?
  
  Have you ever used the GNU's Not Unix Image Manipulation Program ToolKit America Online Instant Messenger?
Yup. Which is why I also cheer up seeing "I use Arch btw" (me too use Arch). Can't imagine myself giving educational speech on what open source software is and why it matters, but I surely can spam memes here and there
- It's the very reason I am using Arch, just so I can be true to spamming "I use Arch btw". Genius advertising.
  I use Arch btw -sniffs fart-
  
  I've yet to meet someone not using it because of that meme
whats the copypasta?
- It's the top comment
Wait. People don't know about Hurd?
- The superior kernel! (at least on paper)
  
  Somehow I feel like a kernel is less effective on paper than on silicon & copper, but that's just me.
Gary Gnu?
I know what GNU is because I witnessed the people this meme was modeled after.
Is the big joke that it actually is Unix?
- No. Because it isn't, though GNU terminal commands are generally Unix compatible.
  It's like if you had a dog (Sir Licksalot) and taught him to "sit", "roll over" and "stay". And then you got a second dog (Barkley Von Woofington the 3rd) and you taught him the same commands.
  Licksalot and Barkley respond to the same commands but they're definitely different dogs. They may even perform the commands differently sometimes, so it's important to know which dog you're dealing with. (so you can give them the appropriate amount of belly rubs)

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