What is the difference/relation between kernel name and OS name? Are they always the same thing?
For example, I am puzzled at the outputs:
-bash-4.1$ uname -s Linux -bash-4.1$ uname -o GNU/Linux What is difference between "GNU/Linux" and "Linux"?
1 Answer
If you take a look at the uname Wikipedia page titled: Uname there's a very nice table that shows the output of uname with all of its switches for just about every Unix I've ever heard of.
excerpt of table
If you look at the output it would imply that -s shows the name of the kernel, while -o shows the name of the operating system.
- Thanks! I am wondering how uname distinguishes kernel name and OS name?Tim– Tim2014-04-13 03:36:17 +00:00Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 3:36
- @Tim - do you mean technically how it does it or what's the difference?2014-04-13 03:52:40 +00:00Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 3:52
- The latter, i.e. difference in concepts, but I believe it is also what the implementation of uname followsTim– Tim2014-04-13 03:57:17 +00:00Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 3:57
- @Tim - well the kernel's the kernel. Take a look at this Wikipedia page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_(computing). The OS is a combination of a kernel + additional applications & libraries.2014-04-13 04:14:22 +00:00Commented Apr 13, 2014 at 4:14
unamequestions? 8-)