8 Linus Torvalds Quotes on Kernel

Linus Torvalds quotes on kernel

11. The main reason there are no raw devices [in Linux] is that I personally think that raw devices are a stupid idea.

24. Personally, I'm _not_ interested in making device drivers look like user-level. They aren't, they shouldn't be, and microkernels are just stupid.

35. 2.6.<odd>: still a stable kernel, but accept bigger changes leading up to it (timeframe: a month or two). 2.<odd>.x: aim for big changes that may destabilize the kernel for several releases (timeframe: a year or two) <odd>.x.x: Linus went crazy, broke absolutely _everything_, and rewrote the kernel to be a microkernel using a special message-passing version of Visual Basic. (timeframe: 'we expect that he will be released from the mental institution in a decade or two').

44. My personal opinion of Mach is not very high. Frankly, it's a piece of crap. It contains all the design mistakes you can make, and even managed to make up a few of its own.

56. It's one of those rare 'perfect' kernels. So if it doesn't happen to compile with your config (or it does compile, but then does unspeakable acts of perversion with your pet dachshund), you can rest easy knowing that it's all your own damn fault, and you should just fix your evil ways.

61. It's a bird.. It's a plane.. No, it's KernelMan, faster than a speeding bullet, to your rescue. Doing new kernel versions in under 5 seconds flat.. (Linus, in the announcement for 1.3.27)

79. Now, most of you are probably going to be totally bored out of your minds on Christmas day, and here's the perfect distraction. Test 2.6.15-rc7. All the stores will be closed, and there's really nothing better to do in between meals.

82. So LSM stays in. No ifs, buts, maybes or anything else. When I see the security people making sane arguments and agreeing on something, that will change. Quite frankly, I expect hell to freeze over before that happens, and pigs will be nesting in trees. But hey, I can hope. -- 10/1/07 -- http://kerneltrap.org/Linux/Pluggable_Security