What is Linux built with or, what does this question mean

On Friday 06 October 2006 09:08, CharlesBlackstone stood up and addressed the mbuttes incomp.os.linux.miscas follows...:

I have seen very clear answers to your query, but you seem not to understand them, so I will try to put it as concise as possible.

*Linux* is a kernel only. The operating system is mostly called plain "Linux", but some of us - among whom myself - prefer referring to it as "GNU-Linux", since it comprises of the Linux kernel and basically just about anything from the GNU operating system's userland. GNU is a separate project that makes use of its own kernel - the Mach-Hurd microkernel, to be precise - and that already pre-existed the Linux kernel.

The Mach-Hurd microkernel however is still - after over 23 years! - in a development-testing stage, and not too many are inclined to speed up its development since the original perspective of the Free Software Foundation - i.e. the creators of GNU - has been accomplished in the form of GNU-Linux, i.e. an operating system released under a Free license. The Linux kernel itself is not part of the GNU project but is released under version 2.0 of the GNU General Public License - or in short, the GPL.

Since Linux - the kernel - mainly works with GNU userspace software, it is typically built - i.e. compiled into binary code - usinggcc,which is mainly written in C with a bit of buttembler code here and there. C is the main language thatgccis used for, but it also supports many other languages such as Fortran or Pascal.

So the basic answer to your question is that Linux - if you are referring to the kernel alone - is typically compiled with the GNU compilergcc. Userspace software in GNU-Linux may be compiled using other tools, but this is usually not done.

Intel does have some architecture-specific proprietary compilers for GNU-Linux, but since most distributions are intended to run on AMD's as well as Intels, most GNU-Linux distributors - a distributor is the one to supply you with a full operating system, e.g. Ubuntu, SuSE, RedHat, Mandriva, Debian, Slackware, et al - compile their distro withgcc.

There are of course embedded implementations of the Linux kernel which require architecture-specific compilers, but I take it that you're not referring to those in your query.

I hope this answers your question... ;-)

-- With kind regards,

*Aragorn* (registered GNU-Linux user #223157)