Linus Torvalds interview on CNN

[Christopher Browne]

On 5/19/06, Jamon Camisso <jamon.camisso-H217xnMUJC0sA/PxXw9srA at public.gmane.org> wrote:
> Yes a nice read to star my day. One typical problem with this type of
> mainstream article though, the interviewer seems hopelessly uninformed.
>
> "KLS: Over the years, Linux has spawned other open technologies and even
> an open source spirit or open source philosophy. It has engendered stuff
> like Wikipedia, the online open source encyclopedia or even, some could
> argue, citizen journalism. What are your thoughts about that?
>
> LT: We shouldn't give credit to Linux per se. There were open source
> projects and free software before Linux was there. Linux in many ways is
> one of the more visible and one of the bigger technical projects in this
> area and it changed how people looked at it because Linux took both the
> practical and ideological approach. At the same time I don't think this
> whole "openness" notion is new..."
>
> Not one mention of FSF/GNU. Strange that :)

He and RMS aren't friends, and really aren't particularly friendly, in
either direction.

There has been enough unfriendliness expressed by RMS (the whole set
of "GNU/Linux" demands have NOT been friendly) that I am neither
shocked nor dismayed that Linus Torvalds would choose not to mention
the FSF.

> What are people's thoughts on open source vs. free software? Can such a
> distinction exist? Which of the two is the better term, ideologically
> and/or practically? Considering we all pretty much use both GNU and
> Linux, some credit deserves to be sent Stallman's way doesn't it? THen
> again, perhaps we wouldn't be using GNU were it not for Linux.

"Open Source" actually shows off a third disagreeable character; it
was a (more than just a little successful, in some ways) publicity
stunt by Eric Raymond (yet another prickley character that isn't on
speaking terms with RMS) in order to try to garner corporate support
from people that would feel uncomfortable with supporting "freedom."

It also has a dark side; companies participate in OSS out of some
temporal convenience.  Some have been known to drop out when it ceased
to be convenient to their fiscal plans.

> Linus' penguin definitely beats Stallman's Yak or whatever it is in
> terms of cuddly factor...

Or ESR's gun collection...
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