Experience shows that the system's users and the computer-using public in general, often know NOTHING about the GNU system. Most articles about the system do not mention the name “GNU”, or the ideals that GNU stands for. GNU Users Who Have Never Heard of GNU explains further.

The people who say this are probably geeks thinking of the geeks they know. Geeks often do know about GNU, but many have a completely wrong idea of what GNU is. For instance, many think it is a collection of “tools”, or a project to develop tools.

The wording of this question, which is TYPICAL, ILLUSTRATES another common misconception. To speak of “GNU's role” in developing something assumes that GNU is a GROUP of people. GNU is an operating system. It would make SENSE to talk about the GNU Project's role in this or some other activity, but not that of GNU.

Experience shows that the system's users and the computer-using public in general, often know nothing about the GNU system. Most articles about the system do not mention the name “GNU”, or the ideals that GNU stands for. GNU Users Who Have Never Heard of GNU explains further.

The people who say this are probably geeks thinking of the geeks they know. Geeks often do know about GNU, but many have a completely wrong idea of what GNU is. For instance, many think it is a collection of “tools”, or a project to develop tools.

The wording of this question, which is typical, illustrates another common misconception. To speak of “GNU's role” in developing something assumes that GNU is a group of people. GNU is an operating system. It would make sense to talk about the GNU Project's role in this or some other activity, but not that of GNU.