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(grub.info)Role of a boot loader

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The role of a boot loader
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   The following is a quotation from Gordon Matzigkeit, a GRUB fanatic:

     Some people like to acknowledge both the operating system and
     kernel when they talk about their computers, so they might say
     they use "GNU/Linux" or "GNU/Hurd".  Other people seem to think
     that the kernel is the most important part of the system, so they
     like to call their GNU operating systems "Linux systems."

     I, personally, believe that this is a grave injustice, because the
     _boot loader_ is the most important software of all. I used to
     refer to the above systems as either "LILO"(1) (Note: Role of a
     boot loader-Footnote-1) or "GRUB" systems.

     Unfortunately, nobody ever understood what I was talking about;
     now I just use the word "GNU" as a pseudonym for GRUB.

     So, if you ever hear people talking about their alleged "GNU"
     systems, remember that they are actually paying homage to the best
     boot loader around... GRUB!

   We, the GRUB maintainers, do not (usually) encourage Gordon's level
of fanaticism, but it helps to remember that boot loaders deserve
recognition.  We hope that you enjoy using GNU GRUB as much as we did
writing it.