Editing GNU (section)

=== With non-GNU kernels ===
[[File:Trisquel 11.0.png|thumb|[[Trisquel]], an example of an [[List of GNU/Linux distributions endorsed by the Free Software Foundation|FSF approved distribution]]]]

Because of the development status of Hurd, GNU is usually paired with other kernels such as [[Linux]]<ref>{{Citation | chapter-url = https://oreilly.com/openbook/debian/book/ch01_02.html |title= Debian open book | chapter = 1.2 What is Linux? |publisher = O'Reilly |date=1991-10-05 |access-date = 2012-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | edition = 12.4 | contribution-url = https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/installation-guide/armhf/ch01s03.html | contribution = What is GNU/Linux? | publisher = Canonical | title = Ubuntu Installation Guide | access-date = 2015-06-22 | archive-date = June 21, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150621214422/https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/installation-guide/armhf/ch01s03.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> or [[FreeBSD]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CHkHNChvPqIC |title=Open Source Software: Implementation and Management| page = 129| isbn= 978-1-55558320-0| last1 = Kavanagh | first1 = Paul| date = 2004-07-26|publisher=Elsevier }}</ref> Whether the combination of GNU libraries with external kernels is a GNU operating system with a kernel (e.g. GNU with Linux), because the GNU collection renders the kernel into a usable operating system as understood in modern software development, or whether the kernel is an operating system unto itself with a GNU layer on top (i.e. Linux with GNU), because the kernel can operate a machine without GNU, is a matter of ongoing debate. The FSF maintains that an operating system built using the [[Linux kernel]] and GNU tools and utilities should be considered a [[GNU variants|variant of GNU]], and promotes the term ''GNU/Linux'' for such systems (leading to the [[GNU/Linux naming controversy]]). This view is not exclusive to the FSF.<ref>{{cite newsgroup | url = https://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.linux.misc/msg/1241a2919efc4bc3 | title = Linux is a GNU system and the DWARF support | newsgroup = comp.os.linux.misc | date = 8 September 1994 | first = Matt | last = Welsh | access-date = 3 February 2008 | quote = RMS's idea (which I have heard first-hand) is that Linux systems should be considered GNU systems with Linux as the kernel.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Proffitt |first = Brian |url=https://www.itworld.com/it-managementstrategy/285750/debian-gnulinux-seeks-alignment-free-software-foundation | title =Debian GNU/Linux seeks alignment with Free Software Foundation | work =ITworld | date =2012-07-12 |access-date= 2012-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.tldp.org/LDP/sag/html/gnu-or-not.html |title= 1.1. Linux or GNU/Linux, that is the question | work = SAG | publisher= TLDP | access-date = 2012-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ccm.net/faq/478-gnu-operating-system|title=GNU Operating System – CCM FAQ|website=CCM|language=en|access-date=2018-04-08|quote=GNU is an operating system that offers a set of free open source programs.|archive-date=December 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215074114/https://ccm.net/faq/478-gnu-operating-system|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.snom.com/footer/source-code-gpl-open-source/|title=Source Code & GPL Open Source|last=Snom Technology|website=www.snom.com|language=en|access-date=2018-04-08|quote=Variants of the GNU operating system, which use the kernel Linux, are now widely used; though these systems are often referred to as "Linux", they are more accurately called "GNU/Linux systems".|archive-date=April 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409044219/https://www.snom.com/footer/source-code-gpl-open-source/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Notably, [[Debian]], one of the biggest and oldest Linux distributions, refers to itself as ''Debian GNU/Linux''.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-faq/basic-defs.en.html#whatisdebian| title = Chapter 1. Definitions and overview}}</ref>