GNU License for Hardware

[Richard Stallman]

    Finally, why should we trivialize the kernel of any OS as an "only
    thing"? If kernels were so easy, one would think that GNU would
    have long ago released one. But in my experience kernels are not
    so easy, 

I do not think the kernel is easy; I didn't intend to say so, and I'm
sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  The kernel is clearly a big
job.

But the whole system is a much bigger job than a kernel.

    Perhaps some respect is also due to the people who have
    actually managed to build a viable kernel.

I agree.  That's one of the reasons I call the combination
"GNU/Linux" rather than just "GNU": I do want to give credit
to Linus and the others who wrote the kernel.