> On GNU/Linux, I understand it to be gcc, glibc & linux but beyond that the 
> line is a bit fuzzy. In fact, glibc is licensed under the LGPL so I'm not 
> even sure if that should be included in what makes up a GNU/Linux's base 
> system. I can't see anything when flicking through the FAQ's TOC, but I'll 
> read through that later and probably find the answer there.

If I understand GNU correct the X Windows System is part of the base
system...


"To begin with, GNU will be a kernel plus all the utilities needed to
write and run C programs: editor, shell, C compiler, linker,
assembler, and a few other things.  After this we will add a text
formatter, a YACC, an Empire game, a spreadsheet, and hundreds of
other things.  We hope to supply, eventually, everything useful that
normally comes with a Unix system, and anything else useful, including
on-line and hardcopy documentation." - Richard Stallman
(http://www.gnu.org/gnu/initial-announcement.html)


"GNU software and the GNU system
Developing a whole system is a very large project. To bring it into
reach, I decided to adapt and use existing pieces of free software
wherever that was possible. For example, I decided at the very beginning
to use TeX as the principal text formatter; a few years later, I decided
to use the X Window System rather than writing another window system for
GNU.

Because of this decision, the GNU system is not the same as the
collection of all GNU software. The GNU system includes programs that
are not GNU software, programs that were developed by other people and
projects for their own purposes, but which we can use because they are
free software." - Richard Stallman
(http://www.gnu.org/gnu/thegnuproject.html)