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2007-05-26

Tech Talk: Linus Torvalds on git

Tech Talk: Linus Torvalds on git

Linus Torvalds visits Google to share his thoughts on git, the source control management system he created two years ago.

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish-American software engineer who is the creator and, until 2018, the lead developer of the Linux kernel, the operating system kernel for most Linux distributions and Unix-like operating systems.

Born in Helsinki, Finland, on December 28, 1969, Torvalds began working on the Linux kernel in 1991 while a student at the University of Helsinki. He released the first version of the kernel on September 17, 1991, and it has since been adopted by millions of users worldwide.

In addition to the Linux kernel, Torvalds has also developed several other software projects, including Git, a distributed version control system, and Clang, a C/C++/Objective-C compiler.

Torvalds is a recipient of the ACM Grace Hopper Award, the IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award, and the Linus Torvalds Prize. He was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2004.

Torvalds is a controversial figure in the software industry. He has been criticized for his sometimes abrasive personality and his outspokenness. However, he is widely respected for his technical skills and dedication to open-source software.

In 2018, Torvalds stepped down as the lead developer of the Linux kernel. Greg Kroah-Hartman succeeded him. However, Torvalds remains the project’s benevolent dictator for life, and he continues to be involved in the development of the kernel.

Torvalds is a tireless advocate for open-source software. He believes that open-source software is the future of software development and has worked tirelessly to promote its adoption. He is a true pioneer in software development, and his work has had a profound impact on how we use computers today.