This is the biggest project that aims (eventually) to provide users with whatever software is required. Coordinated and conceived of by Professor Richard Stallman and others at MIT, this project has now given users a superb editor (EMACS), an excellent compiler (GCC) and debugger (GDB) and host of other software. The GNU operating system (HURD) which is based on the MACH micro-kernel (discussed below) is now in the final stages of being released. Thus a completely modern operating system will be available for any user who has the MACH micro-kernel running (see below).