For what it's worth, as a curious computer science university student in 2013 I sent Linus Torvalds an email from my personal GMail account. He answered both my

For what it's worth, as a curious computer science university student in 2013 I sent Linus Torvalds an email from my personal GMail account. He answered both my original question and a supplementary question, even though they were (in hindsight) quite stupid. Even the great and very busy Mr Torvalds has at least some time for handholding unwashed amateurs.