Re: I Don't Have to Use Windows

[Timothy Wilson <wilson@VISI.COM>]

On Tue, 7 Aug 2001, James McLean wrote:

> Mark Shapiro wrote:
> > ... From the user's
> > point-of-view there is essentially no difference between Linux and Unix.
> > However, the kernel of the Linux operating system was written
> > independently of the AT&T Unix software, and is in the public domain.

I'm going to pick a small nit here. The Linux kernel is most definitely not
in the public domain. It is licensed under the GNU General Public License
(http://www.gnu.org/) which is one of many "Open Source" licenses. Others
include the BSD license and the Apache Software License. For more info about
open source licensing, see http://www.opensource.org/.

> As far as I know, the only (common) way for UNIX to have a GUI is by
> using X Windows (completely unrelated to Mac OS X).  Does Linux use X
> Windows for its GUI, or does it have something else.

Yes, Linux uses X. The most common variety is the open source XFree86
(http://www.xfree86.org/), but there are a number of commerical X products
too.

-Tim

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