The Rampantly Unofficial Linus Torvalds FAQ (2024)

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...a collection of trivia and personal facts about Linus.

He wrote the Linuxkernel. If you don't know that, why are you reading this?

Here is a decent picture of Linus. Itis Copyright 1999 by GaryWagner. He has since had laser eye surgery and no longer wearsglasses.

If you're speaking Swedish (his milk tongue) it's /lee'nus/. Youcan hear this in an audio file if you havea sound card.

If you're speaking English, Linus answers to either /lie'nus/(long i) or /li'nus/ (short i). We have a sound file of Linus pronouncing his name inEnglish.

Finland.He grew up in Helsinki(the capital of Finland and its largest city). He wrote the Linuxkernel while a student at Helsinki University.

December 28th 1969.

Finland has a significant (about 6%) Swedish-speakingminority population. They call themselves finlandssvensk orfinlandssvenskar and consider themselvesFinns; many of their families have lived in Finland forcenturies. Swedish is one of Finland's two official languages.

Many people seem to think think Linus's middle name is "God". Afew claim it ought to be Eric. But in fact hismiddle name is `Benedict'. He doesn't use it much.

He's now resident in Portland, Oregon, having moved to theU.S. from Helsinki in early 1997. He lived in Santa Clara andSan Jose before going to work for OSDL

He has one at http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/~torvalds;it's got an animated penguin and cute pictures of his baby daughterPatricia Miranda Torvalds.

Linus deftly avoids the most persistent religious war in thehacker community by using neither Emacs nor vi. He uses MicroEmacs.And, we are told, Pine as a mail reader.

You can reach him at torvalds@osdl.org.

Note: because Linus is who he is, he gets a staggering amount ofemail that he has to deal with. Don't waste histime. Linus is too nice a guy to hurt you if you abusethis address, but there are probably about a hundred thousandpeople who would be displeased enough to mess with you if youdid.

He works at Open Source Development Labs.

He plays with his baby daughters, Patricia Miranda and Daniela.We have a picture of his family.

He drinks beer (especially Guinness). Occasionally he shootspistols. He does not combine these two activities.

He enjoys driving his Merecedes SLK 32 AMG.

Yes, he in fact has a life. We await enlightenment on his otherleisure-time activities. Assuming he wants to talk about them.

The Rampantly Unofficial Linus Torvalds FAQ (2024)

FAQs

What does Linus use to code? ›

Linus deftly avoids the most persistent religious war in the hacker community by using neither Emacs nor vi. He uses MicroEmacs.

What text editor does Linus use? ›

Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, has been a user of MicroEMACS since his days as a student at the University of Helsinki.

Where does Linus Torvalds live? ›

Linus Torvalds

Why is Linux switching to Rust? ›

It can help us reduce the number of potential bugs and security vulnerabilities in privileged code while playing nicely with the core kernel and preserving its performance characteristics.” The Rust in Linux team knew it would be a lot of work.

Which distro does Torvalds use? ›

Torvalds is running Linux on his M2 MacBook with the help of Asahi Linux, a distribution that has been working to reverse-engineer Apple's hardware.

What is the most powerful code editor? ›

17 Best Code Editors
  • Visual Studio Code.
  • Sublime Text.
  • Atom.
  • Notepad++
  • CoffeeCup HTML Editor.
  • TextMate.
  • Bluefish.
  • Vim.
Jan 18, 2023

Which is the most powerful text editor for Linux? ›

1.Vi/VIM editor

Vim editor is one of the most used and powerful command-line based editor of the Linux system. By default, it is supported by most Linux distros. It has enhanced functionalities of the old Unix Vi editor. It is a user-friendly editor and provides the same environment for all the Linux distros.

What does Linus Torvalds think of rust? ›

As far as he's concerned, the more important part is that the Rust compiler needs to be reliable and stable. One of the issues people have is that GCC Rust is most definitely not reliable or stable yet. So practically speaking, to do Linux Rust work right now, you have to use Clang.

Is Torvalds a Satoshi? ›

Linus Torvalds has done several amazing things. He's the creator of both the Linux operating system and Git, the most popular distributed version control system. But he's not Bitcoin's inventor.

Who is the youngest Linux contributor? ›

Bruno Bonacci on Twitter: "The youngest contributor to the Linux kernel she is just 4 years old. Well done Maisa. https://t.co/YOHhXmLHYG" / Twitter.

Why Rust language is not popular? ›

Small Market: Currently, there are few companies using rust. Therefore a few programmers and few job offers. I do believe the market size will increase, but if you need a massive number of developers now and it cannot afford their education — Rust is not a good choice for you now!

What did Steve Jobs think of Linux? ›

However, he was no fan of Mac OS's Mach kernel, and Jobs insisted that he drop working on Linux, something Torvalds refused to do. Instead, he continued his work with the open-source platform and now helps manage it on behalf of the Linux Foundation.

Why is Rust not widely used? ›

Moreover, it is slow. Rust is a snail compared to other languages. Even for small projects, the compile times are painfully long, and runtime measurements show that Rust is less efficient than the C programs. Imagine rewriting C libraries that have had decades of scrutiny applied only to introduce new bugs.

What is the number 1 Linux distro? ›

To make your selection process easier, we have listed the top three Linux distros in these categories: Best Linux distributions for a VPS – Ubuntu Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and Rocky Linux. Most user-friendly Linux distros – Linux Mint, Elementary OS, and Zorin OS.

Why does Linus Torvalds use C? ›

Compared with C++, Linus chose to unconditionally stand on the C side. “When people talk about the dangers caused by C, they also talk about a part of the reason C is so powerful:'It allows you to efficiently implement all these low-level things. '” Linus mentioned.

What is the most difficult Linux distro to install? ›

Gentoo is known for being extremely difficult to install. When the topic of installing Gentoo comes up, the average time seems to be around three full days to just get the system installed.

Who is the richest coder? ›

Bill Gates worth $120 Billion (developed Microsoft Windows) Larry Page worth $78.1 Billion (developed Google Search) Sergey Brin worth $63.9 Billion (developed Google Search) Satoshi Nakamoto worth $19.6 Billion.

Was Elon Musk a great coder? ›

Elon Musk was born in South Africa in 1971, to a working class family. As a precocious 10-year-old, he bought his first computer and taught himself to code. At 12, he sold his first computer game, “Blastar,” for around $500. It was at that moment that one of the world's greatest coder-preneurs was born.

What is the hardest code to master? ›

Malbolge

Malbolge is another esoteric programming language that was developed in 1998 by Ben Olmstead. Fun fact is two years were taken to the first Malbolge program, and with that, you can understand why some programmers consider this language the hardest programming language.

Which Linux is best for coding? ›

Best Linux Distro for Programming: Top 6 Ranked [2023]
  • Ubuntu - Best For Beginners. Pros. Cons. ...
  • Manjaro - Best for Intermediate Programmers. Pros. Cons. ...
  • Arch Linux - Best For Advanced Programmers. Pros. ...
  • openSUSE - Best for System Admins. Pros: ...
  • Fedora - Best for Server Programmers. Pros. ...
  • Kali Linux - Best For Security Programmers.
Dec 29, 2022

Which Linux is faster than Windows? ›

Linux has a reputation for being fast and smooth while Windows 10 is known to become slow and slow over time. Linux runs faster than Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 along with a modern desktop environment and qualities of the operating system while Windows is slow on older hardware.

What are your top 3 Favourite Linux commands tools? ›

10 Cool Command Line Tools For Your Linux Terminal
  1. Wikit. Wikit is a command line utility to search Wikipedia in Linux. ...
  2. Googler. ...
  3. Browsh. ...
  4. Lolcat. ...
  5. Boxes. ...
  6. Figlet and Toilet. ...
  7. Trash-cli. ...
  8. No More Secrets.
Feb 2, 2019

Who is No 1 editor in the world? ›

Top Grossing Editor at the Worldwide Box OfficeBETA
RankNameWorldwide Box Office
1Jeffrey Ford$13,567,717,504
2Michael Kahn$11,964,709,617
3Stephen Rivkin$8,792,726,132
4David Brenner$8,726,491,490
78 more rows

Did JK Rowling use an editor? ›

Not even the much-admired JK Rowling can write alone. She has beta readers and, most importantly, an editor or even several — just like every other major novel in print — to help her deliver books that are engaging and satisfying from start to finish, with a minimum of problems readers will be asked to overlook.

What is the number 1 text editor? ›

Notepad++

Debatably the most popular advanced text editor on the market, Notepad++ comes in a compact package with no fees and powerful editing components.

Is Rust just as fast as C? ›

Rust incorporates a memory ownership model enforced at a compile time. Since this model involves zero runtime overhead, programs written in Rust are not only memory-safe but also fast, leading to performance comparable to C and C++.

Why is Rust Lang so loved? ›

In programming, Rust is one of the most loved languages. It is a programming language focused on memory safety, protection, high performance during the processing of large amounts of data, concurrency and a highly efficient compiler.

Is Rust as powerful as C++? ›

Both C++ and Rust are potentially excellent choices for your next project—with both having great performance, tooling, and community support. There is no obvious winner, but there is never a one-size-fits-all solution when we are talking about programming languages.

How rich is Torvalds? ›

Linus Torvalds Net Worth
Net Worth:$50 Million
Date of BirthDec 28, 1969 (53 years old)
Place of BirthHelsinki
GenderMale
ProfessionProgrammer, Scientist, Software Engineer
2 more rows

Why is Satoshi hiding? ›

Anonymity was likely the only choice for Bitcoin's creators. If identities were known, it is likely the creator's lives would be upturned by the publicity. It is also very possible they would be targeted by criminals, so it might be best if they remained anonymous.

How did Satoshi disappear? ›

He appeared out of the ether in 2008 and disappeared just as abruptly three years later, after establishing the world's first cryptocurrency. On April 23, 2011, he sent a farewell email to a fellow Bitcoin developer.

Do Hackers prefer Linux? ›

Although it is true that most hackers prefer Linux operating systems, many advanced attacks occur in Microsoft Windows in plain sight. Linux is an easy target for hackers because it is an open-source system. This means that millions of lines of code can viewed publicly and can easily be modified.

How old is Puppy Linux? ›

Puppy 0.1 is the initial release of Puppy Linux. It has no unionfs, extreme minimal persistence support, and has no package manager or ability to install applications.
...
Release versions.
VersionRelease Date
Puppy 1.029 March 2005
Puppy 2.01 June 2006
Puppy 3.02 October 2007
Puppy 4.3.05 May 2008
10 more rows

What is the biggest success of Linux? ›

Without open source programs like Linux, cloud computing wouldn't have happened. Among the major factors that propelled Linux to success is security. Today, the largest software companies in the world are taking open source security to new levels, but the Linux project was one of the first to emphasize this.

What was Stardew coded in? ›

He originally programmed it in C# using the Microsoft XNA framework, but later migrated to MonoGame in 2021, which, according to Barone, "futureproofs the game and allows mods to access more than 4 gigs of RAM".

What code do they use in Silicon Valley? ›

What are the top programming languages used in Silicon Valley? Pretty much anything. Google focuses on C++, Java and Python while Apple uses Objective-C, Swift, C and C++. Facebook uses PHP. Almost all companies use a hyperfast language like C++ on the backend and platform specific languages from there on.

What code does Code Academy use? ›

Codecademy is an American online interactive platform that offers free coding classes in 12 different programming languages including Python, Java, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, SQL, C++, C#, and Swift, as well as markup languages HTML and CSS.

Is Linus a system software? ›

Linux® is an open source operating system (OS). An operating system is the software that directly manages a system's hardware and resources, like CPU, memory, and storage. The OS sits between applications and hardware and makes the connections between all of your software and the physical resources that do the work.

Is there LGBT in Stardew Valley? ›

If you have your farmer pursue a younger villager of the same sex, cut scenes sometimes show the young person shyly acknowledging their first gay crush. During same-sex weddings, the officiant charmingly stumbles through pronouncements of “husband and husband” or “wife and wife.”

Is Stardew Valley inappropriate? ›

It's a nice game,but parents do need to be aware that there IS alcohol in the game,and the character Pam is an alcoholic. There aren't really too many good role models in this game,and things do get tedious and frustrating at times.

Does Stardew Valley have inappropriate content? ›

The gameplay is colorful and generally peaceful, although the player can battle some monsters, like slimes, in the mines. It is currently rated Everyone 10+. Until this year, players could only play by themselves, which meant that it was a fairly safe game for children to play.

What code does Zuckerberg use? ›

When Mark Zuckerberg started work on Facebook in late 2003, he used a programming language called PHP. It was one of the most popular web languages of the day. Facebook now runs on Hack. Hack is a programming language for the HipHop Virtual Machine, created by Facebook as a dialect of PHP.

Is Pied Piper algorithm possible? ›

So the reality is the Pied Piper Algorithm is definitely not real but is loosely based on a compression algorithm for 'lossless compression.

What is the most famous code? ›

JavaScript is the most common coding language in use today around the world.

Do employers recognize Codecademy? ›

Prospective employers could recognize a certificate from Codecademy as proof of knowledge in a programming language. However, certifications are not accredited. If looking to receive an accredited certificate, users might have more luck with alternatives like Coursera.

What is the most valuable code to learn? ›

So, What's the Best Programming Language to Learn?
  • If you're looking for something easy: Python.
  • If you want a solid foundation to make you a master developer: C.
  • If you're looking for a job or want to make mobile apps: Java.
  • If you want to try front-end development: Javascript.

What coding does the military use? ›

The Ada programming language has been used successfully in hundreds of military projects in the US and the rest of the world.

Why Linus is faster than Windows? ›

There are many reasons for Linux being generally faster than windows. Firstly, Linux is very lightweight while Windows is fatty. In windows, a lot of programs run in the background and they eat up the RAM. Secondly, in Linux, the file system is very much organized.

Why is Linus better than Windows? ›

Linux is an open-source operating system, whereas Microsoft is a commercial operating system. Linux facilitates the users to have access to the source code of the operating system and authorizes them to make amendments as per their choices. On the other hand, Windows users don't have such privileges.

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