this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2026
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    submitted 2 days ago by ekZepp@lemmy.world to c/linuxmemes@lemmy.world
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    [–] SpatchyIsOnline@lemmy.world 2 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

    The long and short of it is this:

    • Linux is the kernal, the bit of the OS responsible for interacting with hardware and organising processes that run
    • GNU packages are a collection of small software programs that are present in virtually every Linux distro (things like bash, grep, and libc) that are needed to make the OS do useful things.
    • together they make up "GNU/Linux", which is often shortened to simply Linux. Which is fine, people will understand what you're talking about from context, and only pedantic asshats will correct you in general conversation. This is the internet though and you're bound to run into a pedantic asshat from time to time.
    [–] Resonosity@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 12 hours ago

    Thanks for this explanation. This was my understanding as well, except for the GNU part.

    I asked because the parent commenter directly above my first comment made the distinction between the operating system and the kernel. I wasn't actually sure what the overall umbrella "OS" was for Linux, since as you say the kernel is Linux while there are GNU packages. I can't really recall someone on Lemmy saying what exactly the operating system is for any given computer that happens to run Linux as the kernel.

    I guess this scratches at what the definition of an operating system is: Windows, macOS, or GNU/Linux. In reality, doesn't Windows run on the Unix kernel? Why don't we call it Windows/Unix then? Is Unix used with other "operating systems" that layer on top of the Unix kernel itself?

    I went to school for electrical engineering btw and had to take many classes about digital logic and all of the entry level stuff about PCs at a hardware level. Didn't really get taught much about what goes on top of the hardware aside from maybe microcontrollers with Assembly and C.

    Thanks anyways!