You are not authorized to access this page.

Linus Torvalds

By zjsmith88

  • Birth

    Birth
    Linus Benedict Torvalds was born December 28, 1969 in Helsinki, Finland.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.

  • Interest in Computers

    Interest in Computers
    Linus shows early promise in computing, owning a Commodore VIC-20 at age 11. He then starts to write programs for it in BASIC, even directly accessing the 6502 CPU in machine code.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.

  • Enrolls at the University of Helsinki

    Enrolls at the University of Helsinki
    Linus begins studying Computer Science at the University of Helsinki, the alma mater of his parents.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.

  • Mandatory Military Service

    Mandatory Military Service
    Linus joins the Finnish Navy Nyland Brigade and completes an 11-month officer training program. He serves as an artillery observer, achieving the rank of second lieutenant.
    Torvalds, Linus, and David Diamond. Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary. Reprint, Harper Business, 2002.

  • Announces Linux

    Announces Linux
    Linus first announces his intention to create a UNIX and MINIX based kernel in the MINIX newsgroup comp.os.minix. He was primarily interested in getting feedback so he could improve his project.
    Torvalds, Linus. “What would you like to see most in minix?” Usenet group, comp.os.minix, 25 Aug.1991.

  • Birth of Linux

    Birth of Linux
    Linus completes the 0.01 version of the Linux operating system.
    Torvalds, Linus. “Notes for Linux Release 0.01.” kernel.org, 1991, www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.01.

  • Linux under the GNU GPL

    Linux under the GNU GPL
    Linus announces releasing the kernel under the GNU General Public License in the release notes of version 0.12.
    Torvalds, Linus. “RELEASE NOTES FOR LINUX v0.12.” kernel.org, 5 Jan. 1992, www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/Historic/old-versions/RELNOTES-0.12.

  • Release of Linux 1.0

    Release of Linux 1.0
    Linus determines all components of the kernel to be fully matured. Linux version 1.0.0 is released with 176,250 lines of code.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.

  • Graduates from the University of Helsinki

    Graduates from the University of Helsinki
    Linus graduates with a Master’s in Computer Science in He worked as part of the Computer Science department’s NODES research group that continues to undertake research on distributed and networked systems and applications. His Master’s thesis was titled “Linux: A Portable Operating System”.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.
  • Period: to

    Awards and Achievements

    • 2018 IEEE Masaru Ibuka Consumer Electronics Award
    • 2014 IEEE Computer Pioneer Award
    • 2012 Internet Hall of Fame
    • 2012 Millennium Technology Prize
    • 2010 C&C Prize
    • 2008 Hall of Fellows
    • 2005 Vollum Award
    • 2003 Linus (Moon)
    • 2001 Takeda Award
    • 2000 Lovelace Medal
    • 1998 EFF Pioneer Award
    • 1997 Academic Honors
    • 1996 9793 Torvalds (Asteroid)
  • Period: to

    Working for Transmeta

    Linus moves to the United States and works for Transmeta Corporation. His role involved developing commercial software to facilitate OS-to-OS communication.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.
  • Period: to

    Involvement in 86open

    Linus was involved in 86open, helping to choose the standard binary format for Linux and Unix.
    "Linus Torvalds." Gale Literature: Contemporary Authors, Gale, 2014. Gale In Context: Biography, link.gale.com/apps/doc/H1000148312/BIC?u=uarizona_main&sid=bookmark-BIC&xid=0286ef42. Accessed 9 Nov. 2022.
  • Period: to

    Linux Foundation

    In 2003, Linus begins working at the Open Source Development Labs, having recently merged with the Free Standards Group to become the Linux Foundation. They currently sponsor him so he can work full-time on improving Linux.
    “Linus Torvalds, Incognito Inventor.” Oregonlive, 27 June 2005, www.oregonlive.com/business/2005/06/linus_torvalds_incognito_inven.html.

  • Git

    Git
    Linus authors Git, an open-source software. It is released in 2005. He originally developed git to track changes to the Linux kernel, but it is now widely adopted by software developers and engineers who work collaboratively.
    Brown, Zack. “A Git Origin Story.” Linux Journal, 27 July 2018, www.linuxjournal.com/content/git-origin-story.

  • Subsurface

    Subsurface
    Linus develops a multi-platform open source software for diving called Subsurface. Divers use Subsurface for recreational, professional and free-diving. Divers can run Subsurface on Windows, Mac and Linux and it is compatible with commercial dive log software. Subsurface can plan and track dives with data feeds that include GPS coordinates, equipment logs, and diver characteristics.