The BSD system is finalized and uses the MIT X Window system
for a graphical interface. The BSD system uses some GNU programs
when BSD equivalents are not available and it is convenient
to use the GNU ones.
This is why Hurd when finalized is a BSD system because sans
operating system kernel Hurd will be what the BSD system is like.
I for one find it a gross error not to acknowledge this
fact when discussing the Hurd system on a whole.
For systems with the Hurd, I recommend the term "BSD-based Hurd system".
BTW, can I install the Hurd on my PC with 8MB ram and
have it run faster than my a.out 1.3.68 Linux system?
I would of course want to install from a CD today
so that I can run DOOM and WordPerfect for Hurd.
RMS can only claim credit one place: /bin/sh. (for scripts)
I would have to say that /bin/sh, init, bdflush, and maybe
LILO are parts of the operating system. (libc and the loader
would count too if needed by the others) All I need to do is
install ash as my /bin/sh and RMS does not count anymore.
The compiler would be hard to replace, but it is not part
of the operating system anyway. All the other tools can
be found on the BSD battlefield. I can do without an editor
that makes me type "^[ X set-mark-command" because real vt100
terminals, DECstations, Telix, and Win95 terminals do not
have Esc or any of ^@, ^SPACE, ^2. The same goes for making
me type "^[ X save-buffers-kill-emacs" because ^S is a flow
control character. I don't even use the raw Gnu libc,
because HJ Lu could do better.
The point is that most Unix tools are rather standard.
Just plain old POSIX, BSD, SysV stuff. Even emacs has
been cloned, and I prefer a sane editor like joe anyway.