![[image of the Head of a GNU]](/graphics/gnu-head-sm.jpg)
Since the beginning of the '90s, I have been gradually using GNU and other free software more and more. That is true for my current project, a database system that manages organ transplant waiting lists. This system is used by hospital departments in the Scandinavian countries.
My environment for developing front-end applications for the relational database would have been rather poor without the emacs editor. I use it to take over the source editing after the screen layout has been generated. Similarily, the sql-mode package makes it possible to perform immediate execution and testing of sql statements. This has been especially useful.
By and by I have used numerous other GNU software packages in my development and production environments. These include compilers, shell interpreters, pagers, text filters, and others. Among the non-GNU utilities I frequently use are Larry Wall's perl scripting and reporting language and Andrew Tridgell's Samba file server.
Of course, I must not forget to mention Linus Torvald's unix type kernel. This, together with a large suite of GNU utilities, makes an inexpensive pc an invaluable X windows work station. From this workstation, I can access all the other development and production machines.
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Updated: 12 Jan 2000 tower