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It's Not the 15th Birthday of Linux

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the burn-the-cake dept.

Glyn Moody writes "There's been a spate of celebrations of Linux's 15th birthday recently. What they're really marking is the 15th anniversary of version 1.0. But do version numbers matter for free software? The 'release early, release often' approach means there's generally little difference between version 0.99.14z, say, and version 1.0. In fact, drawing attention to such anniversaries is misguided, because it gives the impression that free software is created in the same way as traditional proprietary code, working towards a predetermined end-point according to a top-down plan. So how should we be choosing and celebrating free software's past achievements?"

9 of 261 comments (clear)

  1. Who cares? by Probie · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's an excuse for a party! I celebrate Christmas to but I don't believe in santa.

    --
    Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask.
    1. Re:Who cares? by Yvan256 · · Score: 5, Funny

      You better believe in Santa or the Coca-Cola guys are gonna come to your house and make you believe.

  2. Yeah Yeah Yeah by Lord+Kano · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Free software isn't developed according to the same models as proprietary software. We get that. It's just backwards to complain about how people take the time to celebrate the achievements of free software developers.

    LK

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
  3. Linux' Birthday is ... by Samschnooks · · Score: 5, Funny

    when Linus says it is. He has final approval on any birth date.

  4. Usenet post? by Max+Romantschuk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Isn't the most logical Linux birthday when Linus first posted his code for others to improve upon? If memory serves me correctly it was a Usenet post?

    --
    .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
  5. Re:"Release early, release often" by Jimmy+King · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've always thought "release early, release often" is a terrible idea.

    My wife tells me the same thing.

  6. 2000 all over again by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    After about the 100th anal-retentive jackass to smugly point out "2001 is the ACTUAL start of the millennium, you know!" I just started punching them.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  7. Re:"Release early, release often" by rohan972 · · Score: 5, Funny

    well, the point is to get people to test it so you can know if it's carp or not

    Damn straight. I always want to know if there's anything fishy about the software I use.

    --
    http://marriedmansexlife.com/
  8. What's so special? by digitig · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What's so special about the 0xFth anniversary anyway? Shouldn't we be waiting for next year and celebrating the 0x10th anniversary?

    --
    Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?