The mind behind Linux | Linus Torvalds | TED
TEDγ»17 minutes read
Linux software is widely used, with Torvalds emphasizing the importance of taste in coding and technology over user interface design. Open source principles have been successful in coding, but their application in other areas can be more complex due to varying interpretations.
Insights
- Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, values technology over user interface design and emphasizes the importance of taste in code, distinguishing between good and bad coding practices.
- Open source principles have been successful in coding due to clear right or wrong outcomes, but their application in other areas, like politics or science, can be more complex due to varying interpretations.
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Recent questions
Who created Linux software?
Linus Torvalds
What is the main focus of Linus Torvalds in coding?
Technology over user interface design
What tool did Linus Torvalds create to manage contributors?
Git
How did Linux's development shift over time?
To open source
What is the significance of taste in coding according to Linus Torvalds?
Recognizing good coding practices
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Summary
00:00
"Linux: Torvalds, Open Source, and Collaboration"
- Linux software is widely used, powering many computers and Android devices.
- The Linux world headquarters is surprisingly simple, with a walking desk being the most interesting feature.
- Linus Torvalds prefers a quiet, calming workspace with a silent computer.
- Torvalds initially worked on Linux alone, starting it as a personal project.
- Linux's development shifted to open source after receiving feedback and ideas from others.
- Git was created by Torvalds to manage the growing number of contributors to Linux.
- Torvalds' stubbornness and lack of people skills sometimes led to conflicts during Linux's development.
- Open source allowed for collaboration despite differing goals and personalities.
- Torvalds values technology over user interface design, acknowledging different strengths in people.
- Torvalds emphasizes the importance of taste in code, distinguishing between good and bad coding practices.
14:45
"Streamlining Singly-Linked Lists in Coding"
- Singly-linked lists are commonly taught in coding as a basic approach, with the need to understand different cases when removing entries.
- A better approach to singly-linked lists eliminates the need for an if statement, showcasing the importance of rewriting code to simplify special cases.
- Having good taste in coding involves recognizing big patterns and instinctively knowing the right way to do things, beyond just simple code.
- Linus Torvalds, the speaker, identifies more with Thomas Edison's practical approach over Nikola Tesla's visionary style, emphasizing the importance of hard work.
- Open source principles have been successful in coding due to the clear right or wrong outcomes, but their application in other areas, like politics or science, can be more complex due to varying interpretations.
