GNU
Free software project
GNU, pronounced with a hard G, is a large African antelope with a shaggy mane, curved horns, and a bearded face.
It is more commonly called a wildebeest.
GNU is also a recursive acronym standing for "GNU's Not Unix," referring to a free software operating system project launched in 1984 that became foundational to the open-source movement.
The GNU project's tools combined with the Linux kernel form the basis of many modern operating systems.
Open-source operating system kernel
- open-sourceFreely viewable, editable code
- GPLOpen source license type
- free softwarePrograms costing nothing
- recursiveDefined in terms of itself
acronym · GIMP · GCC · GNOME · kernel · copyleft · compiler · operating system
Large African grazing antelope
- antelopeSwift horned grazer
- migrationMovement to new territory
- SerengetiTanzanian ecosystem of grasslands
- herdGrazing animals together
grazing · savanna · Africa · Masai Mara · brindled · crossing · plains · hooves
Defined in terms of itself
- backronymRetrofitted letter meanings
- self-referentialAlluding to itself
- expansionIncrease in scope
- initialismSpelled-out letter shortening
humor · hacker · wordplay · Unix · naming · convention · computing · geek
Linux
Open-source operating system kernel
- open-sourceFreely viewable, editable code
- GPLOpen source license type
- free softwarePrograms costing nothing
recursive · acronym · GIMP · GCC · GNOME · kernel · copyleft · compiler · operating system · freedom
wildebeest
Large African grazing antelope
- antelopeSwift horned grazer
- migrationMovement to new territory
- SerengetiTanzanian ecosystem of grasslands
herd · grazing · savanna · Africa · Masai Mara · brindled · crossing · plains · hooves · Tanzania
recursive
Defined in terms of itself
- backronymRetrofitted letter meanings
- self-referentialAlluding to itself
- expansionIncrease in scope
initialism · humor · hacker · wordplay · Unix · naming · convention · computing · geek · clever
Restricted, owned computer programs
closed source · closed-source · Microsoft · Microsoft Windows · Windows