Geek of the Week: Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds is a Finnish software engineer and the founder of the Linux operating system. Linux is popular with tech savvy computer users and it uses predominately free software that is developed by multiple users. The software's logo is Tux, a cartoon penguin. Not everyone is a fan, but Torvalds has these words of wisdom for Tux's detractors, "Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100 mph. They'd be a lot more careful about what they say if they had."



Torvalds is frequently placed high on Top 100 lists, including Time Magazine's "Most Influential People" (2004), "100 Greatest Finns of All Time", Business Week's "Best Managers" (2005), Time Magazine Europe's "Revolutionary Heroes of the Past 60 Years" (2006), and The 100 Most Influential Inventors of All Time (2010) He has also won several awards, including the EFF Pioneer Award (1998), the Lovelace Medal (2000), the InfoWorld Award for Industry Achievement (2000), the Takeda Award (2001), and the Reed College Vollum Award (2005). Torvalds has received honorary doctorates from Stockholm University and the University of Helsinki and has an asteroid (9793 Torvalds) named for him.

Images:
Linus Torvalds
Tux the Penguin