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Linux Inventor Says He Doesn’t Believe in Crypto (u.today)

submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

636 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, does not believe in cryptocurrencies, calling them a vehicle for scams and a Ponzi scheme.
Torvalds was once rumored to be Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, but he clarified it was a joke and denied owning a Bitcoin fortune.
Torvalds also dismissed the idea of technological singularity as a bedtime story for children, saying continuous exponential growth does not make sense.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I wonder what direction the Linux kernel will go once he's gone. Obviously it will continue to go on and Torvalds should get a statue somewhere if he doesn't already have one.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I don't follow thinigs closely at all, but I'm under the impression he's already starting to kinda take his hands off of the wheel? If so, maybe that picture is emerging now, at least behind the scenes.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Linus hasn't written kernel code in years at this point, however he still is the final gate keeper of what gets merged and an active code reviewer, he manages the entire direction of the project.

As of what will happen when Linus passes, that's already been decided. The position of projects leader will go to his most trusted project co-maintainer, which we have a good idea of who that is.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

For the uninformed, who is that?

[–] [email protected] 31 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

There are a few candidates, the most prominent are probably :

Greg Kroah-Hartman: Played a pivotal role in stabilizing the memory management subsystem and enhancing block I/O performance, both critical areas for system stability and performance.
Sage Sharp (formally Sarah Sharp) : Instrumental in the development and maintenance of the networking subsystem and the ARM architecture code, ensuring compatibility and efficient networking for various ARM-based devices.
Git Junio Hamano: Maintainer of Git, the version control system that underpins Linux development. His leadership in maintaining Git ensures smooth collaboration and efficient code management for the vast kernel developer community.

Greg Kroah-Hartman is speculated to be the most likely candidate, but it also depends on a few factors. Like, if Linus dies suddenly vs dying slowly or just stepping down, there'd be a big difference in selection process.

Ofc, things may change in the future and there's many other talented developers who can be considered. Nothing is set in stone.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Thanks for the details. With things heading more and more towards arm architecture I’m surprised Sarah Sharp isn’t the leading candidate. But this is all new to me so what do I know lol

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

It's not like they couldn't be chosen, they have some serious stake in it. Consider their achievements and read the following :

Here are some key qualities a potential successor should possess :

Deep understanding of the Linux kernel: Intimate knowledge of the kernel's codebase, architecture, and development process is essential.

Proven leadership skills: The ability to effectively guide a large team of developers with diverse technical backgrounds and priorities.

Strong communication and collaboration: Excellent communication skills to bridge the gap between developers, and foster a collaborative development environment.

Technical merit and reputation: A well-established reputation within the Linux community for technical contributions and code quality.

Vision for the future: A clear vision for the future direction of the kernel, ensuring it remains relevant and innovative.

I'd say they meet most if not all of them. All of the potential candidate's are amazingly talented and determined individuals.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

He did rule that Rust can be included in the kernel code a bit ago, but IIRC that's the last big thing he did with Linux as of late.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

They should do something like GNU from discworld in the code.