Editing GNU/Linux naming controversy (section)

== Composition of operating systems ==
Modern [[free software]] and [[open-source software]] operating systems are composed of software by many different authors, including the Linux kernel developers, the GNU project, and other vendors such as those behind the [[X Window System]]. Desktop and server-based distributions use GNU software such as the [[GNU C Library]] (glibc), [[GNU Core Utilities]] (coreutils), [[GNU Compiler Collection]], [[GNU Binutils]], [[gzip|GNU gzip]], [[GNU tar]], [[GNU gettext]], [[grep|GNU grep]], [[GNU awk]], [[sed|GNU sed]], [[GNU Findutils]], [[gnupg]], [[libgcrypt]], [[gnutls]], [[GRUB]], [[GNU readline]], [[Ncurses|GNU ncurses]], and the [[Bash (Unix shell)|Bash]] shell.

In a 2002 analysis of the source code for [[Red Hat Linux]] 7.1, a typical [[Linux distribution]], the total size of the packages from the GNU project was found to be much larger than the Linux kernel.<ref>{{cite web | author = David A. Wheeler | url = http://www.dwheeler.com/sloc/redhat71-v1/redhat71sloc.html | title = More Than a Gigabuck: Estimating GNU/Linux's Size | date = 29 July 2002 | quote = the total of the GNU project's code is much larger than the Linux kernel's size. Thus, by comparing the total contributed effort, it's certainly justifiable to call the entire system ''GNU/Linux'' and not just ''Linux''. }}</ref> Later, a 2011 analysis of the [[Ubuntu (operating system)|Ubuntu]] distribution's "Natty" release main repository found that 8% to 13% of it consisted of GNU components (the range depending on whether [[GNOME]] is considered part of GNU), while only 6% is taken by the Linux kernel (9% when including its direct dependencies).<ref name="pedrocr-gnu">{{cite web |url=http://pedrocr.pt/text/how-much-gnu-in-gnu-linux/ |title=How much GNU is there in GNU/Linux? |work=Split Perspective |last=Côrte-Real |first=Pedro |date=31 May 2011}} ([[WP:SPS|self-published]] data)</ref> Determining exactly what constitutes the "operating system" ''per se'' is a matter of continuing debate.<ref name="Noyes 2012" />

On the other hand, some [[embedded systems]], such as [[handheld device]]s and [[smartphone]]s (like Google's [[Android (operating system)|Android]]), [[residential gateway]]s (routers), and [[Voice over IP]] devices, are engineered with space efficiency in mind and use a Linux kernel with few or no components of GNU, due to perceived issues surrounding [[Software bloat|bloat]], and impeded performance.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Torvalds|first=Linus|date=9 January 2002|title=Posting to the glibc mailing list|url=http://ecos.sourceware.org/ml/libc-alpha/2002-01/msg00079.html|access-date=30 August 2021}}</ref> A system running [[μClinux]] is likely to substitute [[uClibc]] for glibc, and [[BusyBox]] for coreutils. Google's Linux-based Android operating system does not use any GNU components or libraries, using Google's own [[BSD licenses|BSD]]-based [[Bionic (software)|Bionic]] C library in place of glibc. The FSF agrees that "GNU/Linux" is not an appropriate name for these systems.<ref name="fsf-faq"/><ref>[[Bradley M. Kuhn]], [http://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2009/11/04/android-vs-gnu.html Android/Linux's Future and Advancement of Mobile Software Freedom], blog post (4 November 2009).</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Paul |first=Ryan |url=https://arstechnica.com/open-source/reviews/2009/02/an-introduction-to-google-android-for-developers.ars |title=Dream(sheep++): A developer's introduction to Google Android |publisher=Arstechnica.com |date=23 February 2009 |access-date=22 June 2011}}</ref>

There are also systems that use a GNU userspace and/or [[C programming language|C]] library on top of a non-Linux kernel, for example [[Debian GNU/Hurd]] (GNU userland on the GNU kernel)<ref>[http://www.debian.org/ports/hurd/ Debian GNU/Hurd] web page, and [https://www.gnu.org/software/hurd/ GNU Hurd] web page.  (Accessed June 2013.)</ref> or [[Debian GNU/kFreeBSD]] (which uses the GNU coreutils and C library with the kernel from [[FreeBSD]]).<ref>[http://www.debian.org/ports/kfreebsd-gnu/ Debian GNU/kFreeBSD] web page (accessed June 2013).</ref>