Linus Torvalds Awarded the Millenial Technology Prize 91
Karrde712 writes "In a first for the Millennium Technology Prize, both Laureates were awarded the prize. Linus Torvalds was recognized for the creation of the Linux kernel and its continuing impact on enhancing scientific progress throughout the world. Dr. Shinya Yamanaka was recognized for his work in the development of induced pluripotent stem cells for medical research."
New submitter Elessar wrote in about the BBC's related interview with Linus "... touching on many subjects including Linux on the desktop, Raspberry Pi, and the weirdness of his employment contract." (He did another one with Linux.com earlier this week too).
Spelling Error (Score:0, Insightful)
Why can't anyone these days spell "weird" properly?
Re:So sick of this.. (Score:0, Insightful)
I've seen this argument several times on this site, and I've yet to see either side present any sort of evidence.
Re:So sick of this.. (Score:5, Insightful)
The way I understand it is that Torvalds came up with the kernel (which is what's being recognized here), but RMS created many of the other tools that turn Linux from a kernel into a full fledged operating system. Without both of them, Linux probably wouldn't have been successful.
Congratulations Linus (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Congratulations Linus (Score:2, Insightful)
What about the GNU kernel? Linux wouldn't even exist without that foundation. (I suspect the inventor of that will be forgotten, just as people have forgotten the contributions of Jay Miner, Bob Yannes, Nolan Bushnell, Jack Tramel, Dennis Ritchie, etc.) All the popular press talks about if Jobs Gates.
Either that.... (Score:0, Insightful)
or you're an incoherent moron.
Re:Congratulations Linus (Score:4, Insightful)
Agreed, and it's the community that's so important. When you consider how versatile and ubiquitous the kernel is, you have to understand that it takes an extremely broad and diverse community of developers and other contributors to make it possible. Compare this to Microsoft, who can barely manage to port their operating system to ARM, and somehow they're raking in hundreds of billions of dollars.
Even if you cast all of Linus' software development contibutions aside, the fact that he started such a diverse and prodigious community is worthy of several awards on its own.
Re:Congrats! (Score:2, Insightful)
It's really nice to see a technology revolutionist reaping some financial rewards in his lifetime, too. A check for 600,000 euros goes a long way towards setting him up for life financially, and considering his ongoing efforts to further the Linux kernel, I think we want him to be able to do that and not to worry about his next paycheck. If the Linux Foundation ever goes tits up, he won't be at risk of losing the roof over his head (and over his computers)(and over his wife and children). That's all to the good.