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Linus Calls Microsoft Hatred "a Disease"

Hugh Pickens writes "In the aftermath of Microsoft's recent decision to contribute 20,000 lines of device driver code to the Linux community, Christopher Smart of Linux Magazine talked to Linus Torvalds and asked if the code was something he would be happy to include, even though it's from Microsoft. 'Oh, I'm a big believer in "technology over politics." I don't care who it comes from, as long as there are solid reasons for the code, and as long as we don't have to worry about licensing etc. issues,' says Torvalds. 'I may make jokes about Microsoft at times, but at the same time, I think the Microsoft hatred is a disease. I believe in open development, and that very much involves not just making the source open, but also not shutting other people and companies out.' Smart asked Torvalds if Microsoft was contributing the code to benefit the Linux community or Microsoft. 'I agree that it's driven by selfish reasons, but that's how all open source code gets written! We all "scratch our own itches." It's why I started Linux, it's why I started git, and it's why I am still involved. It's the reason for everybody to end up in open source, to some degree,' says Torvalds. 'So complaining about the fact that Microsoft picked a selfish area to work on is just silly. Of course they picked an area that helps them. That's the point of open source — the ability to make the code better for your particular needs, whoever the "your" in question happens to be.'"

10 of 634 comments (clear)

  1. Time for Linus to step down? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Comments like this just show the ever increasing gap between Linus and the average open source developer. All this will accomplish is causing further division in a community which has thrived in the past by uniting against a common enemy.

  2. Re:Um, no by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Hey look, the Microsoft-controlled mods at work.

    Anyone with any common sense knows MS is a liar and a cheat and uses FUD to spin their horrible technology.

    MS is a marketing and sales company, not a technology company. Stop letting them sell you snake oil.

  3. Makes sense. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Open sores are usually a symptom of disease.

  4. Re:Um, no by countertrolling · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    If you Microsoft shills...

    Yeah, I'm really depressed that I can't run Windows on my PPC Mac. And I'm still trying to find the "Start" button on this damn KDE thing I'm running now. I'll feel your pain...just as soon as I can stop laughing. Maybe you should visit Dr. Linus. You're lookin' a little pale there.

    --
    For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
  5. Re:Um, no by gavron · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    You should take something for your depression. That doesn't change whether you're a shill or not.

    E

  6. Re:free software and open source by FishWithAHammer · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    I didn't miss the point, I laughed at his lack of one.

    Something doesn't become "free" because your sexist pig of a GNU/leader says it is.

    --
    "You can either have software quality or you can have pointer arithmetic, but you cannot have both at the same time."
  7. Re:Not a disease, Tribalism by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Oh, fuck off. I've seen you around. You are a perfect example of the assholes Linus was talking about and you're just pissed that someone imporant called you out on it.

  8. Re:free software and open source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Real world of grown-ups? You can take your money-printing, usury-loving, rapidly collapsing economic "world" and shove it up your ass, you hook-nose jew faggot.

  9. Re:free software and open source by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    The Intel i8x0 graphics and sound drivers (just to name some drivers that are supposedly 'free' and 'open') are in the kernel to be able to use Intel graphics and sound chips. Last time I checked these weren't 'free' in any sense (you have to buy the chips and the IC designs are not open/free), so I fail to see why a 'free' driver for 'non-free' software would have to be excluded from the linux kernel.

    You are both barely coherent and a stupid twat.

    </constructive criticism>

  10. Re:free software and open source by elcommandante · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    The reason that we Americans shrug our shoulders is simple. You can't argue with Eurotrash, they're intellectually challenged. The vast majority of continental Europeans have become smug automatons, content to lie in their intellectual desert that passes there as an oasis. I'm sure you are satisfied with your available choices. The government if not the EU has granted you these opportunities in order to keep you happy at a somewhat proletariat level. Other options, that are disdained by your government and your subservient press, are reserved solely for the your patricians. In short, what Eric Fromm propounded many years ago has become the norm in continental Europe. Before you post again on socio-economic matters, it might behoove you to pay a visit to the US; not as a tourist but as a traveler. After you have met, here in the US, as many illegal Dutch aliens and legal Dutch transplants as I have, your mental capacities may grow to understand why Americans just shrug their shoulders in response to your prepubescent questions.