Linus Torvalds

David Diamond

Once upon a time Linus Torvalds was a skinny unknown, just another nerdy Helsinki techie who had been fooling around with computers since childhood. Then he wrote a groundbreaking operating system and distributed it via the Internet -- for free. Today Torvalds is an international folk hero. And his creation LINUX is used by over 12 million people as well as by companies such as IBM. Now, in a narrative that zips along with the speed of e-mail, Torvalds gives a history of his renegade software while candidly revealing the quirky mind of a genius. The result is an engrossing portrayal of a man with a revolutionary vision, who challenges our values and may change our world.

The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary

Just for Fun

Hihi, Linus talks about birth as “production”

Tanel

Let me back up. In the spring of 1998, a third blonde entered my world: Daniela Yolanda Torvalds got produced on April 16th, making her the first Torvalds to be a U.S. citizen. She and Patricia are sixteen months apart, the same as Sara and me. But I guarantee they won't be as embattled as my sister and I were growing up certainly not with Tove's moderating influence. Or her karate skills.

Tove was one of fifteen students in my course. She had already received a degree in preschool education. She wanted to study computers, too, but wasnt progressing as quickly as the rest of the class. She eventually caught up. The course was so basic - this was the fall of 1993, before the popularity of the Internet my homework assignment for the class one day was to send me email. It sounds absurd today, but I said: “For homework, send me email." Other students' emails contained simple test nessages, or unmemorable notes about the class. Tove asked me out for a date. I married the first woman to approach me electronically. Our first date never ended

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