Linus Torvalds' Benevolent Dictatorship

treebeard77 writes "BusinessWeek has posted Linus Torvalds interview ' The creator of Linux says "I can't be nasty" when leading the open-source movement since it's all built on trust and teamwork' "

I for one welcome our new benevolent overlord

[Try to think about i]

Hail Linus

RMS was quoted as saying

[Anonymous Coward]

That's GNU/Dictatorship damn you.

NASCAR style of leadership.

[Anonymous Coward]

NASCAR is also based on a 'benevolent dictatorship' style of management. Maybe Linus should consuly Bill France for some tips.

"I can't be nasty"....

[FerretFrottage]

now back to work my open source minions. 2.6.100 won't write itself.

Re:Torvalds created a good kernel...

[Cranx]

He actually just said "leading" which, if any single person could be called "leading" would probably be him. Without his kernel, we would all probably not even know who SCO was.

Re:"I can't be nasty"....

[Anonymous Coward]

now back to work my open source minions. 2.6.100 won't write itself

No, but 2.7 will.

Oh. My. God. He's in management.

[wiredog]

What I do mostly is I'm a communications channel. I'm one of a couple of central points for discussions. I have all the patches come to me, though I have sub-lieutenants doing the programming work. I'm a meeting point, rather than a software engineer.

I don't do much programming anymore.

Re:Linux #2 in server market?

[MattyCobb]

from the article:

"... That has helped Linux become the No. 2 operating system worldwide for server computers."

Dumb question, I know, but who exactly is number 1, and what constitutes a server, anyway?


Duh, #1 is "beowulf clusters" of Windows 98 machines being used to send spam ;)

So Ima What?

[grunt107]

I'm not so much a leader, I'm more of a shepherd. Now all the kernel developers will read that and say, "He's comparing us to sheep." It's more like herding cats.

So I'm a pussy instead?

Re:Torvalds created a good kernel...

[Anonymous Coward]

He wisely left that nonsense to the zealots.

I think you mean:

He wisely left that nonsense to Slashdo^H^H^H^H^H^H^Hthe zealots.

Re:Torvalds created a good kernel...

[latroM]

Or this sco thing would have happened with the Hurd or one of the BSD kernels.

virus ridden machines

[millahtime]

Well, a server is something that servers. All those M$ machines with viruses serving up more of themselves for everyone else. That would be a server right? Keeping M$ in the lead. Maybe that's part of their master plan to stay at the top of servers.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[ViolentGreen]

And it shows that OSS really is like communism because it has a dictator.

So, we're NOT sending troops to depose him?

[IronChefMorimoto]

If Linus is a "benevolent" dictator, we're not sending in troops to depose him?

And, obviously, we can't depose him on grounds of WMD, since Microsoft makes those, right?

So -- as long as he doesn't gas a whole room of Mac OS X users, we'll leave him be?

And -- he doesn't have any kids, right? Two boys that might go around killing anyone who doesn't win Linux-based UT2K4 tournaments in Linus' name, right? Or terrorizing anyone who challenges the vision of the kernel?

Finally -- Linus hasn't invested in any bunker construction for his new offices, right?

Just checking. I was concerned that maybe that troop realignment from Europe was in preparation for an attack on Mr. Torvalds.

IronChefMorimoto

Re:Oh. My. God. He's in management.

[Neil Watson]

Linus's hair is looking a little pointy these days :)

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[Aardpig]

And it shows that OSS really is like communism because it has a dictator.

And also like fascisim, since the Nazis were National Socialists, and we all know socialism is the same as communism.

Re:Torvalds created a good kernel...

[Mateito]

Hurd

yep, and we'd all be playing Duke Nukem Forever while watching the original Star Wars cimenatic cuts on DVD.

Re:Sentiments from his book

[Mateito]

Humour and intelligence, the two things GUARANTEED to work on a woman!

Chloroform. Three.

Linus's middle name

[TeknoHog]

is Benedict. Coincidence? I think not. fnord

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[WarMonkey]

And it shows that OSS really is like communism because it has a dictator.

Nahhh. It shows that Linux is like Christmas. Some vaguely Nordic person with a pleasant demeanor takes charge of making sure things get done, so that a great set of gifts can be bestowed upon all humanity. He couldn't do it without all his little helpers, though. The best thing is, Linux doesn't only come once a year.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[Mateito]

I read that as "Linus doesn't come only once a year", which prompts the question

How do you know?

Re:Importance of Software Patents

[Cyno]

This is much bigger than Linux. Patents will affect all forms of open source software. Including BSD and parts of OSX.

They can be fought in court, but that costs money. Some small businesses won't be able to afford to develope software and fight these legal battles.

So I recommend we give up now and turn ourselves in and hope they go easy on us. :)

Re:I for one welcome our new benevolent overlord

[Anonymous Coward]

You were a fool to think anyone would want to hear Whoopie Goldberg quoted

OS

[hot_Karls_bad_cavern]

"...and i don't consider myself a pussy, ok?"

"Yes. i am also not a pussy."

In related news...

[l0ungeb0y]

President Bush called for an impromptu press conference today to inform the nation of a new threat in the War on Terror.

"I'd like to start by thanking the brave and strong Americans at home and abroad who have stood by our troops and supported our efforts in the War on Terror. Today I bring news of an even greater threat. Our intellegence shows that a New Dictator has gained power and established a large network of terrorist computer cells in homes and offices around the country. This New Dictator is Linus Torvolds and I can assure you he hates America, he hates Capitolism and he hates Freedom. Today we begin our war with another terrorist, a terrorist that is bent on destroying Corporate America and our way of life. Already he has duped many of our citizens and corporations to convert to "Linux" a terrorist organization no less dangerous than Al Qaeda or the brutal Dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. We must band together and stamp out this threat to our liberties and safety. Today I have appointed Steve Balmer as Special Consultant for the creation of the Desktop Security Agency which shall be a part of the Homeland Security Agency. Together with Tom Ridge and Donald Rumsfeld, Mr. Balmer shall create a roadmap of shock and awe to root out and destroy this new threat before it is too late."

Re:Torvalds created a good kernel...

[Otter]

Without his kernel, we would all probably not even know who SCO was.

While that's undoubtedly true, it's not necessarily something to brag about...

Re:Pirate King

[happyfrogcow]

As long as i have TCP/IP over parrots, i'm fine. I wonder how many times you would have to say http://slashdot.org to a parrot before he can repeat it and pass the message on to the next parrot on the next island.

"Wrrrrokk! http://slashdot.org, pass it on. Tweet!"

Re:In the same way

[Anonymous Coward]

And just because Linux came in the box doesn't mean it wasn't immediately wiped and replaced with a pirated copy of Windows.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[Alzheimers]

No, silly! Their leaders get their positions the same way the US Govt gets theirs. They buy their way in.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[huckda]

ahh but does he use ELF binaries?

That is the question...

Hmm ... never stopped Theo :)

[Anonymous Coward]

' The creator of Linux says "I can't be nasty" when leading the open-source movement since it's all built on trust and teamwork'

Hmm ... never stopped Theo :)

Re:Linux #2 in server market?

[Anonymous Coward]

... That has helped Linux become the No. 2 operating system worldwide for server computers."

Dumb question, I know, but who exactly is number 1...

You are number 6...

Re:No offence but

[mangu]

If Rome taught us anything, its that small groups, no matter how skilled or courageous, will lose to an organised and capable foe with clear lines of communication under one leader.

Yes, but suppose it were otherwise? Here [ccel.org], for instance, is an interesting piece of fiction depicting an alternate history, where the Roman Empire ultimately fell to hordes of barbarians.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[Anonymous Coward]

I am Tove, you insensitive clod!

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[EvilTwinSkippy]

So when do we rename one of the months "Linuary" and add a 31st day? Oh, and are we going to yank that day from February?

Re:I for one welcome our new benevolent overlord

[O_D_Evans]

Yes, All Hail Linus and the GNU World Order!

Re:I for one welcome our new benevolent overlord

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't know why he can't be nasty. Theo is nasty and gets away with it just fine. ;-)

That guy even trolls his own mailing lists from time to time.

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[Aardpig]

Chile had a 17 year dictatorship that was Capitalist/conservative/right-wing oriented. So you cant link dictatorship with a political orientation, neither OSS for that matter.

Whoa, boy, you left your sense of humour running all night long, and it has gone flat!

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[AkaXakA]

In that case, we're iNazi's

Because we're not National, we're International right?

might you be referring to...

[r00t]

the TCP/IP stack being sold separately?
the compiler being sold separately?
per-user and per-CPU license costs?

Dang, they were asking to die.

Whats a dictater?

[avandesande]

Doesn't Mr. Potatohead have a dictater?

Re:I for one welcome our new benevolent overlord

[Anonymous Coward]

And you're driven by the thought: Drat! Why did I spend all of my dollars learning Microsoft technologies and buying all their crappy (that's mine, could'nt help it) software while the others are getting it for free! I am sure you're actually kicking yourself right now!

On a positive note, there's hope for you yet ... c'mon be one of the others!!

Re:RMS was quoted as saying

[geminidomino]

So that means he only comes once every 3 years...

Getting married for sex is like getting your legs amputated to run faster.