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Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

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Re: Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

#41

Post by gbog »

mosjeff wrote: post #26
kleiba wrote: post #12

In recognition of his creation of a new open source operating system for computers leading to the widely used Linux kernel. Couldn't help but think of RMS and the GNU operating system when I read this sentence.

I couldn't help think: "New? It's over 20 years old...". By this logic, we should still be giving Nirvana awards for "Nevermind".

That is exactly what I found interesting. Reading hn one might be tempted to think that only three latest new thing matters. Think Trello : they use only post 2012 technologies and everyone says wow.

But in reality it takes 20 years our more for a "real" technology to mature and get serious recognition. The OP should remind us about this fact when we get too hot about something too new.

Re: Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

#42

Post by possibilistic »

why-el wrote: post #39
possibilistic wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And definitely dotfiles. Keeps all my machines in sync as I like them.

and all my papers. :) I use git for managing word docs at school.

Ooh! Evangelism time!

Have you tried LaTeX yet? I just started using it seriously and I don't think I'll ever go back. It's amazing for writing. And since it's good old plain text, it's highly compatible with git. I love being able to import sub-documents into one large structure; it's like writing modular code, but with papers.

Re: Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

#43

Post by why-el »

possibilistic wrote: post #42
why-el wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

and all my papers. :) I use git for managing word docs at school.

Ooh! Evangelism time! Have you tried LaTeX yet? I just started using it seriously and I don't think I'll ever go back. It's amazing for writing. And since it's good old plain text, it's highly compatible with git. I love being able to import sub-documents into one large structure; it's like writing modular code, but with papers.

I will definitely check it out. Getting get to sync whith MS doc was certainly a pain.

Re: Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

#44

Post by kds »

Tobu wrote: post #36
robwgibbons wrote: post #34

What about Stallman? Not to discredit Torvalds, but a kernel != an operating system

Indeed, but emacs isn't very close to world domination.

It's the GCC and the related tools, my friend, that made possible the GNU Linux OS and its kernel, and a multitude of other open source (free!) software. And also the GPL license, of course.

People shouldn't be so fixed just on Emacs as the only Stallman's contribution and defining legacy in the software world. IMHO, his editor is the least important thing he created.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Compiler_Collection http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License

Re: Linus Torvalds winner of the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize

#45

Post by kds »

zerostar07 wrote: post #14
kleiba wrote: post #12

In recognition of his creation of a new open source operating system for computers leading to the widely used Linux kernel. Couldn't help but think of RMS and the GNU operating system when I read this sentence.

Looks like Linus did more or better work. I 've never used/seen a gnu hurd system in my life. Edit: Well, then you should not stop at Stallman. Hundreds of scientists, going back to Godel and beyond gave roots to modern open algorithms/software by giving away their academic research for free. I think Linux did not start just to be a free kernel, but because linus wanted to actually make a better system than minix (an…

But you've seen the GCC - the thing that compiles the Linux kernel, right? The default C - and some more languages - compiler on almost any Linux or BSD system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Compiler_Collection

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