this post was submitted on 25 Aug 2023
1843 points (99.2% liked)

Linux

48372 readers
1746 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by AlpΓ‘r-Etele MΓ©der, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Happy birthday πŸŽŠπŸŽ‰ GNU/Linux.

Today GNU/Linux is 32 years old.

It was thankfully released to the public on August 25th, 1991 by Linus Torvalds when he was only 21 years old student.

What a lovely journey 🀍

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 75 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It’s a shame. Linus was and is far more deserving of respect for his contributions to technology than Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. Probably even Woz. But he’s by far down the line in terms of fame and fortune. Except maybe Woz.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Watch some of the interviews in his home office. Dude is a happy dad with a nice family. Meanwhile a lot of tech billionaires are miserable. I'd say the respect he's earned by not selling out is worth more than mainstream success. Linux and Linus are just the right size.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fair point. Out of all the tech legends, Linus (and Woz) seem the happiest.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

They seem to have their priorities in the right place, living a happy comfortable human life instead of trying to mimic the exploit-profit-control-infiniteGrowth-fullThrottle24/7 priorities of the companies they started/own/work for.

[–] [email protected] 40 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have a feeling he's more okay with having less fortune though. Just the impression I get about him.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I can't imagine he's struggling for money, he's a smart guy and wrote an OS used in some capacity by so many corporations

He's probably written books that sell quite well

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

"He oversees and has final say over every line of code [of Linux] to this day. The Linux Foundation pays Linus around $1.5 million per year to support the software."

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-businessmen/linus-torvalds-net-worth/

He has an estimated net worth of $150 million.

https://www.linuxfordevices.com/tutorials/linux/linus-torvalds-net-worth

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They meant gain wealth like apple founders or any other big tech. Believe he derives a salary from Linux foundation for his work. I don't imagine that being anything comparable to owning large percentage of a tech company.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

True but he's also going to make more than enough to live comfortably I'm sure

Don't need to be a billionaire to have a good comfortable life

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Didn't mean he wasnt earning well. Just clarified what the original comment meant.

[–] MusicPiano 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

What books has Linus written?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Google search found "Just for fun the story of an accidental revolutionary" by Linus torvalds as the first result

My point was more that there are absolutely ways he can make money off Linux's success