There is no largest proper operator ideal (Q6093629)

If \(X, Y \) are Banach spaces let us denote by \(L(X, Y)\) the space of bounded linear operators from \(X\) to \(Y\). An operator \(R \in L(X, Y) \) is inessential if the operator \(\mathrm{Id}_X-TR\) is Fredholm for every \(T \in L(Y, X)\). \textit{A. Pietsch} [Operator ideals. Licenced ed. Amsterdam: Elsevier (North-Holland) (1980; Zbl 0434.47030)] conjectured that the operator ideal of inessential operators is the largest proper operator ideal. In the paper under review, the author shows that there exists a proper operator ideal which contains strictly the operator ideal of inessential operators. Moreover, he proves that there is no largest proper operator ideal. To obtain these results he uses and improves previous results of \textit{P. Aiena} and \textit{M. González} [Math. Z. 233, No. 3, 471--479 (2000; Zbl 0960.47009)]. He also proves that certain properties hold for general \(\mathbb C\)-linear operators if and only if they hold for these operators seen as real: A \(\mathbb C\)-linear operator is strictly singular (resp. strictly cosingular, inessential) if and only if it is strictly singular (resp. strictly cosingular, inessential) as \(\mathbb R\)-linear.