Softpanorama
(slightly skeptical) Open Source Software Educational Society

May the source be with you, but remember the KISS principle ;-)

Softpanorama Search

Nikolai Bezroukov. Portraits of Open Source Pioneers

For readers with high sensitivity to grammar errors access to this page is explicitly prohibited :-)

Softpanorama Linus Torvalds' Interviews Collection

(preserving Linus Torvalds interviews for humanity ;-)

From the research point of view the most interesting way to look at his interviews is to analyze them in a chronological order. But there is not so much to analyze -- I have found only 4 interviews given before 1997. Some random and

superficial observations:

Linus consistently stresses that he would like to see Linux as a desktop operating system (we can see some contradictions: legacy keyboard staff and the fact that kernel for desktop is not so much important as utilities -- Linux has mostly GNU utilities and that Linus has nothing to do with that part of development). There is no centralized effort to improve Linux as a desktop thing, to incorporate some sort of better scripting engine available to all utilities, etc.
Paradoxically,
he does not believe that Linux kernel is too big for one person to handle.. Here the desire of Linus to be the center of development (and physically he can't do much) might have a detrimental effect on the OS as a whole.
From the latest interviews one can get impression that he try to avoid speaking about problems with kernel development

Copyright © 1996-2009 by Dr. Nikolai Bezroukov. www.softpanorama.org was created as a service to the UN Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP) in the author free time. Submit comments This document is an industrial compilation designed and created exclusively for educational use and is placed under the copyright of the Open Content License(OPL). Site uses AdSense so you need to be aware of Google privacy policy. Original materials copyright belong to respective owners. Quotes are made for educational purposes only in compliance with the fair use doctrine.

Disclaimer:

The statements, views and opinions presented on this web page are those of the author and are not endorsed by, nor do they necessarily reflect, the opinions of the author present and former employers, SDNP or any other organization the author may be associated with.
We do not warrant the correctness of the information provided or its fitness for any purpose
In no way this site is associated with or endorse cybersquatters using the term "softpanorama" with other main or country domains (e.g. softpanorama.com) with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill belonging to someone else.

Last modified: August 27, 2008