Re: Linux isn't an operating system
Marty Leisner (leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com)
Tue, 12 Mar 1996 07:47:05 PST
> > I don't really care what the outcome is (I am sympathetic to Mr Stallman,
> > certainly Linux [and FreeBSD, and OpenBSD, and NetBSD and Cisco] would be
> > nowhere without GCC - that's a contribution at least as significant as the
> > Linux kernel).
>
> I beg to differ - It could have been done without GNU, without GCC (Minix
> had non GNU 386 compilers before Linux). Richard created (well many might
> say preserved) something far more important than all the code people
> whinge about
>
> The Ethos Of Free Software
>
I suppose it could have been done with vacuum tubes too...
I found the Minix C compiler quite poor, I ended up cross-compiling
Minix with aztec C...
The point was, the Minix C compiler was not a "free tool", you needed to
buy the amsterdam compiler kit for $1000... and Minix only become free
recently.
I don't know of another C compiler of any quality with free source besides
gcc...
--
marty
leisner@sdsp.mc.xerox.com
Member of the League for Programming Freedom