Linus Torvalds

Linus-Torvalds IEEE Ibuka Award 2018

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish-American software engineer who is best known for initiating and continuing to oversee the development of the Linux kernel. Born on December 28, 1969, in Helsinki, Finland, Torvalds has become a central figure in the open-source software movement.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

Linus Torvalds was born to Nils and Anna Torvalds, both journalists. He was named after Linus Pauling, the famous American chemist and activist. Torvalds showed an early interest in computers and was introduced to them through his grandfather's Commodore VIC-20. By the age of 10, he was already proficient in programming.

Education[edit | edit source]

Torvalds attended the University of Helsinki from 1988 to 1996, where he earned a master's degree in Computer Science. His interest in operating systems was sparked by a course he took on the subject, which eventually led him to work on his own operating system, later known as Linux.

Linux Kernel[edit | edit source]

In 1991, while still a student, Torvalds started working on the Linux kernel as a hobby project. He posted about it on a Usenet newsgroup for MINIX users, inviting others to contribute. The project quickly grew, attracting interest and contributions from programmers around the world. Linux, combined with the GNU system (often referred to together as GNU/Linux), is now a prominent example of free and open-source software collaboration.

Contributions and Impact[edit | edit source]

Torvalds' creation of the Linux kernel has had a profound impact on the computing world. Linux is at the heart of millions of servers, desktops, and mobile devices. It's also the operating system of choice for supercomputers and a significant component of the infrastructure of the Internet. Beyond Linux, Torvalds also created Git in 2005, a version control system that is widely used in software development today.

Awards and Recognition[edit | edit source]

Over the years, Linus Torvalds has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to the computing world. These include the Millennium Technology Prize in 2012, awarded by the Technology Academy Finland, for his creation of a new open-source operating system for computers leading to the widely used Linux kernel. He has also been honored with the 2014 IEEE Computer Society Computer Pioneer Award.

Personal Life[edit | edit source]

Torvalds is known for his candid communication style, especially on technical matters in email communications with other developers. He has been a U.S. citizen since 2010 and currently resides in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and three children.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Linus Torvalds' work on the Linux kernel has established him as one of the most influential figures in the open-source software movement. His commitment to free software and open collaboration has paved the way for countless technological advancements and has fostered a global community of developers and users dedicated to improving and spreading open-source technologies.