Re: Vote Linus for Person of the Century
> Don't even think Linus should BE the person of the century. That honor
> probably goes to Thomas Edison. We owe our current culture and style of
If you want to go with the guy who had the biggest slam-bang effect on
everything, it's either Oppenheimer or Truman.
> living to that guy. His experiments with his lightbulb led to the
> discovery of the "Edison effect" which led DeForest to do some more
> experiments which led to the Vacuum Tube which led to the Transistor,
> which lead to the IC Chip. Not only was Edison's work responsible for
> laying the ground work for radio and television, he also played vital
> roles in bringing motion pictures and recorded music to the public.
>
> Linus Torvalds is probablt important but nowhere near THE most important.
> Lets try to keep some perspective.
I look at what Linus (leaving Stallman vs. Linus out for the moment)
instigated (notice I don't say *did*, but instigation is what every
candidate gets credit for anyway) and I honestly feel that it is unique
and important, perhaps uniquely so. GNU/Linux is far and away the largest
example of purely voluntary collaboration in the history of the planet. I
say 'purely voluntary' because the developers of GNU/Linux were not
starving, fighting for their lives, or trying to get ahead in the economic
rat race. Their only motive was and is the creation of a superior system
for their own use. This modus operandi of want --> voluntary unselfish
colaboration --> result without any other waste involved has proven
remarkably and hearteningly succesful.
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Britton Kerin
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