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Git and Linux started out as creations of Linus.

rjurney 17y ago
And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick, and he published his code very early so that collaborators could hack on it. Those two things were important in Linux and Git's success. Thats all the talk is about. And the only reason anyone is arguing with it is the very insecurity the talk seeks to address.
- frisco 17y ago
  > And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick Have you ever seen Linus on usenet? I'd argue that his Real Programmer protective stance towards Linux was more helpful to it taking off than being a really Nice Guy.
  - stcredzero 17y ago
    >> And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick > Have you ever seen Linus on usenet? "Not a total dick" in Internet terms is something like "A little to the left of Mao." However, Linus is also very astute and capable. People will tolerate "does not suffer fools gladly" if they are not a fool, or if they like the person's work. Every programmer with an ego should ask themselves, "Am I an unjustified asshole?" Consider: - Do a lot of people mostly like your work? - Does the cost/benefit of alienating people vs. shutting down the fools generally work out positively? (For the community not just for your personal gratification.) - Do people complain about you profusely, but for some reason still grudgingly respect you? Answer yes 3 times? Congrats: you are not an unjustified asshole! Are you a delusional asshole? - Do only a select few understand your work, and do you think even they are all inferiors? - Are you *always* right? - Do the people who are trying to do something valuable generally try to ignore you? Answer yes 3 times? Well, don't worry about it, you're probably one of the few who are genuinely ahead of their time and misunderstood. ;-)
pj 17y ago
Linux was a copy of Minux.

And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick, and he published his code very early so that collaborators could hack on it. Those two things were important in Linux and Git's success. Thats all the talk is about. And the only reason anyone is arguing with it is the very insecurity the talk seeks to address.

frisco 17y ago
> And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick Have you ever seen Linus on usenet? I'd argue that his Real Programmer protective stance towards Linux was more helpful to it taking off than being a really Nice Guy.
- stcredzero 17y ago
  >> And they only took off because Linus is not a total dick > Have you ever seen Linus on usenet? "Not a total dick" in Internet terms is something like "A little to the left of Mao." However, Linus is also very astute and capable. People will tolerate "does not suffer fools gladly" if they are not a fool, or if they like the person's work. Every programmer with an ego should ask themselves, "Am I an unjustified asshole?" Consider: - Do a lot of people mostly like your work? - Does the cost/benefit of alienating people vs. shutting down the fools generally work out positively? (For the community not just for your personal gratification.) - Do people complain about you profusely, but for some reason still grudgingly respect you? Answer yes 3 times? Congrats: you are not an unjustified asshole! Are you a delusional asshole? - Do only a select few understand your work, and do you think even they are all inferiors? - Are you *always* right? - Do the people who are trying to do something valuable generally try to ignore you? Answer yes 3 times? Well, don't worry about it, you're probably one of the few who are genuinely ahead of their time and misunderstood. ;-)

pj 17y ago

Linux was a copy of Minux.