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GNU


GNU: /gnoo/, *not* /noo/ 1. [acronym: `GNU's Not UNIX!',
   see recursive acronym] A UNIX-workalike development effort of
   the Free Software Foundation headed by Richard Stallman
   <rms@gnu.ai.mit.edu>.  GNU EMACS and the GNU C compiler, two tools
   designed for this project, have become very popular in hackerdom
   and elsewhere.  The GNU project was designed partly to proselytize
   for RMS's position that information is community property and all
   software source should be shared.  One of its slogans is "Help
   stamp out software hoarding!"  Though this remains controversial
   (because it implicitly denies any right of designers to own,
   assign, and sell the results of their labors), many hackers who
   disagree with RMS have nevertheless cooperated to produce large
   amounts of high-quality software for free redistribution under the
   Free Software Foundation's imprimatur.  See EMACS,
   copyleft, General Public Virus.  2. Noted UNIX hacker
   John Gilmore <gnu@toad.com>, founder of USENET's anarchic alt.*
   hierarchy.