securitybreach Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Linus Torvalds created the original core of the Linux operating system in 1991 as a computer science student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. Linux rapidly grew into a full-featured operating system that can now be found running smartphones, servers, and all kinds of gadgets. In this e-mail interview, Torvalds reflects on the last quarter century and what the next 25 years might bring. Stephen Cass: You’re a much more experienced programmer now versus 25 years ago. What’s one thing you know now that you wish your younger self knew? Linus Torvalds: Actually, I credit the fact that I didn’t know what the **** I was setting myself up for for a lot of the success of Linux. If I had known what I know today when I started, I would never have had the chutzpah to start writing my own operating system: You need a certain amount of naïveté to think that you can do it. I really think that was needed for the project to get started and to succeed. The lack of understanding about the eventual scope of the project helped, but so did getting into it without a lot of preconceived notions of where it should go. S.C.: Is there one early technical decision made during Linux’s development that you now wish had gone a different way?The fact that I didn’t really know where it would end up meant that I was perhaps more open to outside suggestions and influence than I would have been if I had a very good idea of what I wanted to accomplish. That openness to outside influences I think made it much easier, and much more interesting, for others to join the project. People didn’t have to sign on to somebody else’s vision, but could join with their own vision of where things should go. I think that helped motivate lots of people. L.T.: The thing about bad technical decisions is that you can always undo them. Yes, it can be very frustrating, and obviously there’s all the wasted time and effort, but at the same time even that is not usually really wasted in the end: There was some reason you took a wrong turn, and realizing that it was wrong taught you something. I’m not saying it’s really a good thing—it’s obviously better to always make the right decision every time—but at the same time I’m not particularly worried making a choice. I’d rather make a decision that turns out to be wrong later than waffle about possible alternatives for too long............. http://spectrum.ieee...-linus-torvalds 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 In my view it's the versatility and scalability that keeps Linux as popular as it is. I'm still using it pretty much the same way I did in 2006 - on a desktop. However it's gotten far easier to use and install. It's out there on a zillion servers. If you want to use a version of it on tablets or smartphones or Raspberry Pis - no problem. Lots of embedded systems too. I used to lament the low popularity of Linux on the desktop but now I see that as a desirable feature. There's far less interest in hacking me in Linux, plus it's a lot harder. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedon James Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 In my view it's the versatility and scalability that keeps Linux as popular as it is. I'm still using it pretty much the same way I did in 2006 - on a desktop. However it's gotten far easier to use and install. It's out there on a zillion servers. If you want to use a version of it on tablets or smartphones or Raspberry Pis - no problem. Lots of embedded systems too. I used to lament the low popularity of Linux on the desktop but now I see that as a desirable feature. There's far less interest in hacking me in Linux, plus it's a lot harder. Same here! I'd like to see linux-desktop adoption hit a sweet spot where it's popular enough to convince proprietary apps to provide a linux version (or to convince open-source developers to fill the void with THEIR offering!), but not so popular as to draw the interest of attacker/hackers. OSX seems to be the benchmark for that, as OSX has attracted both with a 10%+/- share. On the flip side, I am convinced that the "i" in Cupertino products is shorthand for "idiot-proof"; but with the false sense of security that Apple products are impenetrable & immune. (at least Windows users are aware they're at risk!) On the flip side, if Linux gets too popular there's always the BSDs, which is what OSX could be if they weren't so D*** focused on distracting you from the lack of options in the walled garden by prettifying the UX! JMO... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 but not so popular as to draw the interest of attacker/hackers. OSX seems to be the benchmark for that, as OSX has attracted both with a 10%+/- share. That might of been the case up until last year where OSX had more infections than the previous 5 years combined: http://bgr.com/2015/...-increase-2015/ They also got their first ransomware at the beginning of this month: http://www.wired.co....nt-transmission Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Aside from the latest games there isn't much I can't do in Linux that I want to do. Even my income taxes - which I used to need Windows for - can be done online in a browser now. I have a proprietary photo organizer but there are pretty good Linux alternatives. Printing and file sharing is way better in Linux. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 Macs still are are small percentage, but any upward mobility in that direction is not good. Long way to go to be in league with Windows and much closer to Linux in that regard. But there are so many things that are totally awesome about Linux. Yes, versatility and scalability are big. But the freedom and ability to do programming things that you have to pay to do in other OSes is always a major plus! And Linux is catching up in the gaming arena as well thanks to Steam and others.I am very thankful for Linux. It was my Jim's favorite and only mainstay system operating system. He adored Debian best of all as do I. Still enjoy trying out some others at times, but Debian is my mainstay. Keeps me sane to be able to run Linux as well as Macs and Windows. I love diversity, but my big love in operating systems is Linux. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raymac46 Posted April 6, 2016 Share Posted April 6, 2016 I started out with Linux as a way to keep old hardware out of a landfill. I eventually got a couple of brand new machines that have never run anything but Linux. Now I'm back recycling netbooks with Linux. My "best"one even runs 64 bit Linux and right now I'm playing around with Manjaro on it. It used to run Windows 7 Starter like a dog and my neighbor got fed up with it. I don't want to show him how fast it runs with Linux. He might get buyer's remorse over his new i5 Ultrabook. Uh..maybe not. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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