I am the psychotherapist. Please, describe your problems. Each time you are finished talking, type RET once or click 'say'.
What's GNU? Gnu's Not Unix!
Why do you say what's gnu gnu's not unix!?
GNU, which stands for Gnu's Not Unix, is the name for the complete Unix-compatible software system which I am writing so that I can give it away free to everyone who can use it.(1) Several other volunteers are helping me.
Do you really think that?
Contributions of time, money, programs and equipment are greatly needed.
What makes you think that?
So far we have an Emacs text editor with Lisp for writing editor commands, a source level debugger, a yacc-compatible parser generator, a linker, and around 35 utilities. A shell (command interpreter) is nearly completed.
Emacs? hah! please proceed.
A new portable optimizing C compiler has compiled itself and may be released this year.
Are you frightened by that?
An initial kernel exists but many more features are needed to emulate Unix.
You think too much about unixs.
When the kernel and compiler are finished, it will be possible to distribute a GNU system suitable for program development. We will use TeX as our text formatter, but an nroff is being worked on.
What makes you believe an nroff is being worked on?
We will use the free, portable X Window System as well.
I don't understand
After this we will add a portable Common Lisp, an Empire game, a spreadsheet, and hundreds of other things, plus online documentation.
I don't understand
We hope to supply, eventually, everything useful that normally comes with a Unix system, and more.
You think too much about unixs.
GNU will be able to run Unix programs, but will not be identical to Unix.
You should try taking your mind off of unixs.
We will make all improvements that are convenient, based on our experience with other operating systems.
How do you reconcile problems at school?
In particular, we plan to have longer file names, file version numbers, a crashproof file system, file name completion perhaps, terminal-independent display support, and perhaps eventually a Lisp-based window system through which several Lisp programs and ordinary Unix programs can share a screen.
Are you a computer hacker?
Both C and Lisp will be available as system programming languages. We will try to support UUCP, MIT Chaosnet, and Internet protocols for communication.
Are you sorry your grades could improve?
GNU is aimed initially at machines in the 68000/16000 class with virtual memory, because they are the easiest machines to make it run on.
You should try taking your mind off of machines.
The extra effort to make it run on smaller machines will be left to someone who wants to use it on them.
You have your mind on machines, it seems.
To avoid horrible confusion, please pronounce the g in the word “GNU” when it is the name of this project.
What would happen if it is the name of this project ?