Linus Torvalds Quotes (150 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

Linus Torvalds: 150 quotes28 likes

Famous Linus Torvalds Quotes

Message to linux-kernel mailing list, 2000-08-25, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://lkml.org/lkml/2000/8/25/132, 2000s, 2000-04

“My name is Linus Torvalds and I am your god.”

Linus Torvalds

As quoted in: Young, Robert; Goldman Rohm, Wendy (1999), Under the Radar: How Red Hat Changed the Software Business – and Took Microsoft by Surprise, p. 111
Jokingly introducing himself, at the 1998 Linux Expo in Durham, North Carolina
2000s, (2001)

“Microsoft isn't evil, they just make really crappy operating systems.”

Linus Torvalds

<nowiki>Linus Torvalds on Twitter</nowiki>, Torvalds, Linus, 2013-01-29, 2016-07-26 https://twitter.com/linus__torvalds/status/296333371393597440, 2010s, 2013

“Software is like sex; it's better when it's free.”

Linus Torvalds

Attributed to Torvalds at 1996 FSF conference, video showing this phrase in one of Torvalds papers (time code: 48.44) https://web.archive.org/web/20071016215132/http://www.argentilinux.com.ar/doku.php/linux_videos_documentales:the_code_linux Attributed

“Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.”

Linus Torvalds

“In short: just say NO TO DRUGS, and maybe you won't end up like the Hurd people.”

Linus Torvalds

Post to mlist.linux.kernel newsgroup, 2001-10-04, Torvalds, Linus, 2016-05-01 https://groups.google.com/d/msg/mlist.linux.kernel/6Yj1ipr6nEc/dbhIEkhm4LgJ, 2000s, 2000-04

Linus Torvalds Quotes about people

“So LSM stays in. No ifs, buts, maybes or anything else. When I see the security people making sane arguments and agreeing on something, that will change. Quite frankly, I expect hell to freeze over before that happens, and pigs will be nesting in trees. But hey, I can hope.”

Linus Torvalds

-- 10/1/07 -- http://web.archive.org/20071008195655/kerneltrap.org/Linux/Pluggable_Security
Attributed

“To kind of explain what Linux is, you have to explain what an operating system is. And the thing about an operating system is that you're never ever supposed to see it. Because nobody really uses an operating system; people use programs on their computer. And the only mission in life of an operating system is to help those programs run. So an operating system never does anything on its own; it's only waiting for the programs to ask for certain resources, or ask for a certain file on the disk, or ask to connect to the outside world. And then the operating system steps in and tries to make it easy for people to write programs.”

Linus Torvalds

Interview in Revolution OS http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308808/, documentary, 2001. 2000s, 2000-04

“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.”

Linus Torvalds

Post, comp.os.linux.announce newsgroup, Google Groups, 1996-06-09, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=cola-liw-834355743-12037-0%40liw.clinet.fi, 1990s, 1995-99

“Security people are often the black-and-white kind of people that I can't stand. I think the OpenBSD crowd is a bunch of masturbating monkeys, in that they make such a big deal about concentrating on security to the point where they pretty much admit that nothing else matters to them.”

Linus Torvalds

Linux 2.6.25.10, 2008-07-15, Torvalds, Linus, 2008-07-16 http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/706950, 2000s, 2008

“I like colorized diffs, but let's face it, those particular color choices will make most people decide to pick out their eyes with a fondue fork.

And that's not good. Digging in your eye-sockets with a fondue fork is strictly considered to be bad for your health, and seven out of nine optometrists are dead set against the practice.

So in order to avoid a lot of blind git users, please apply this patch.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to Git mailing list, 2006-06-22, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://lwn.net/Articles/190241/, 2000s, 2006

“Real quality means making sure that people are proud of the code they write, that they're involved and taking it personally.”

Linus Torvalds

Interview with Linus Torvalds of The Linux Foundation, 2008-09-15, Torvalds, Linus, 2008-12-31 http://www.linuxfoundation.org/events/node/154, 2000s, 2008

Linus Torvalds Quotes about thinking

“Most days I wake up thinking I'm the luckiest bastard alive.”

Linus Torvalds

2000s, (2001)

“(In answer to the question: In the extreme case, if it was just you doing all the code, and the rest of the world quietly used it, would it make sense to give it away free? Unless you're particularly grateful for other free things you've got off the Net, would the answer be No?":)

I don't necessarily think so. It might be true in certain niche areas, but almost any project will give a developer that "feel good" feeling when he has users and he feels he is doing something worthwhile. I really don't think you need all that much "quid pro quo" in programming - most of the good programmers do programming not because they expect to get paid or get adulation by the public, but because it is fun to program.”

Linus Torvalds

First Monday Interview with Linus Torvalds: What motivates free software developers?, Rishab Aiyer Ghosh, interviewer, 1998‐03-02, 2013-06-02 http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/583/504, 1990s, 1995-99

“Toto, I don't think we're talking white-socks-and-sandals any more.”

Linus Torvalds

Torvalds, 2011-03-01, pearls before swine, 2011-03-01 http://torvalds-family.blogspot.com/2011/02/pearls-before-swine.html, Torvalds contemplating his appearance at an Oscar Party. 2010s, 2011

“Why don't we write code that just works? Or absent a "just works" set of patches, why don't we revert to code that has years of testing? This kind of "I broke things, so now I will jiggle things randomly until they unbreak" is not acceptable. […] Don't just make random changes. There really are only two acceptable models of development: "think and analyze" or "years and years of testing on thousands of machines."”

Linus Torvalds

Those two really do work. Torvalds, Linus, 2011-04-13, Linux 2.6.39-rc3, 2011-04-21 http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/1126136, 2010s, 2011

“You see. I don't think any new thoughts. I think thoughts that other people have thought, and I rearrange them. But Sara, she thinks thoughts that never were before.”

Linus Torvalds

Torvalds to his mother, about his sister
2000s, (2001)

“I've actually felt slightly uncomfortable at TED for the last two days, because there's a lot of vision going on, right? And I am not a visionary. I do not have a five-year plan. I'm an engineer. And I think it's really -- I mean -- I'm perfectly happy with all the people who are walking around and just staring at the clouds and looking at the stars and saying, "I want to go there." But I'm looking at the ground, and I want to fix the pothole that's right in front of me before I fall in. This is the kind of person I am.”

Linus Torvalds

2010s, 2016

Linus Torvalds: Trending quotes

“95 percent of all software developers believe they are in the top 5 percent when it comes to knowledge and skills.”

Linus Torvalds

Attributed

“"Regression testing"? What's that? If it compiles, it is good; if it boots up, it is perfect.”

Linus Torvalds

1990s, 1995-99

“Your job is being a professor and researcher: That's one hell of a good excuse for some of the brain-damages of Minix.”

Linus Torvalds

Post to comp.os.minix newsgroup, 1992-01-29, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=1992Jan29.231426.20469%40klaava.Helsinki.FI, To Andrew Tanenbaum (author of Minix) during the Tanenbaum-Torvalds debate. 1990s, 1991-94

Linus Torvalds Quotes

“I hope I won't end up having to hunt you all down and kill you in your sleep.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds - Google+, Torvalds, Linus, 2013-04-05, 2013-04-05 https://plus.google.com/102150693225130002912/posts/hvnMn1fFKEm, 2010s, 2013

“On the internet nobody can hear you being subtle.”

Linus Torvalds

<nowiki>Linus Torvalds' Best Quotes from LinuxCon Europe 2014</nowiki>, Clark, Libby, 2014-10-18, 2014-10-18 http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/200-libby-clark/791788-linus-torvalds-best-quotes-from-linuxcon-europe-2014, 2010s, 2014

“Obsessing about things is important, and things really do matter, but if you can't let go of them, you'll end up crazy.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds - Slashdot Interview, Torvalds, Linus, 2012-10-11, 2012-10-11 http://meta.slashdot.org/story/12/10/11/0030249/linus-torvalds-answers-your-questions, 2010s, 2012

“Just for fun.”

Linus Torvalds

“I'm personally convinced that computer science has a lot in common with physics. Both are about how the world works at a rather fundamental level. The difference, of course, is that while in physics you're supposed to figure out how the world is made up, in computer science you create the world. Within the confines of the computer, you're the creator. You get to ultimately control everything that happens. If you're good enough, you can be God. On a small scale.”

Linus Torvalds

2000s, (2001)

“Note that nobody reads every post in linux-kernel. In fact, nobody who expects to have time left over to actually do any real kernel work will read even half. Except Alan Cox, but he's actually not human, but about a thousand gnomes working in under-ground caves in Swansea. None of the individual gnomes read all the postings either, they just work together really well.”

Linus Torvalds

Post, Linux kernel mailing list, 2000-05-02, Google Groups, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 https://groups.google.com/d/msg/fa.linux.kernel/iQtWFALi4JA/eSzv64_tOvoJ, 2000s, 2000-04

“Well, with a subject like this, I'm afraid I'll have to reply. Apologies to minix-users who have heard enough about linux anyway. I'd like to be able to just "ignore the bait", but … time for some serious flamefesting!”

Linus Torvalds

comp.os.minix: LINUX is obsolete, 1992-01-29, Torvalds, Linus, 2008-12-31 http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.minix/msg/9f3c7c165aacc83f?dmode=source, 1990s, 1991-94

“Whoever came up with "hold the shift key for eight seconds to turn on 'your keyboard is buggered' mode" should be shot.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds - Google+, Torvalds, Linus, 2013-06-23, 2013-10-12 https://plus.google.com/+LinusTorvalds/posts/e4vnEUdB5kn, 2010s, 2013

“I'm a bastard. I have absolutely no clue why people can ever think otherwise. Yet they do. People think I'm a nice guy, and the fact is that I'm a scheming, conniving bastard who doesn't care for any hurt feelings or lost hours of work, if it just results in what I consider to be a better system. And I'm not just saying that. I'm really not a very nice person. I can say "I don't care" with a straight face, and really mean it.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to linux-kernel mailing list, 2000-09-06, Torvalds, Linus, 2007-05-28 http://lkml.org/lkml/2000/9/6/65, 2000s, 2000-04

“I was 21 at the time, so I was young, but I had already programmed for half my life, basically. And every project before that had been completely personal and it was a revelation when people just started commenting, started giving feedback on your code. And even before they started giving code back, that was, I think, one of the big moments where I said, "I love other people!"”

Linus Torvalds

Don't get me wrong -- I'm actually not a people person. Torvalds, Linus, 2016-02-17, <nowiki>Linus Torvalds: The mind behind Linux</nowiki>, 2016-04-08 http://www.ted.com/talks/linus_torvalds_the_mind_behind_linux/, 2010s, 2016

“If you have ever done any security work – and it did not involve the concept of "network of trust" – it wasn't security work, it was – masturbation. I don't know what you were doing. But trust me, it's the only way you can do security, it's the only way you can do development.”

Linus Torvalds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XpnKHJAok8
Tech Talk: Linus Torvalds on git
YouTube
Google
27min44
2007.
2000s, 2007

“Well, I probably won't get too good grades even without you: I had an argument (completely unrelated – not even pertaining to OS's) with the person here at the university that teaches OS design. I wonder when I'll learn :)”

Linus Torvalds

1990s, 1991-94

“Is "I hope you all die a painful death" too strong?”

Linus Torvalds

Linus to the hardware manufacturers that refuse to release the specifications of their hardware so they could operate with the Linux kernel. Linus Torvalds talks future of Linux, 2007-08-22, Torvalds, Linus, 2007-08-22, 2007-08-25, http://web.archive.org/web/1/apcmag.com/7012/linus_torvalds_talks_about http://apcmag.com/7012/linus_torvalds_talks_about, 2000s, 2007

“Lookie here, your compiler does some absolutely insane things with the spilling, including spilling a *constant*. For chrissake, that compiler shouldn't have been allowed to graduate from kindergarten. We're talking "sloth that was dropped on the head as a baby" level retardation levels here.”

Linus Torvalds

<nowiki>LKML: Linus Torvalds: Re: Random panic in load_balance() with 3.16-rc</nowiki>, Torvalds, Linus, 2014-07-24, 2014-08-10 https://lkml.org/lkml/2014/7/24/584, 2010s, 2014

“Crying that it's an application bug is like crying over the speed of light: you should deal with reality, not what you wish reality was.”

Linus Torvalds

2000s, 2009

“Standards are paper. I use paper to wipe my butt every day. That's how much that paper is worth.”

Linus Torvalds

Discussing a "fix" in the memcpy() that broke flash, 2010-11-30, Bugzilla, Red Hat, Torvalds, Linus https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=638477#c129, 2010s, 2010

“Modern PCs are horrible. ACPI is a complete design disaster in every way. But we're kind of stuck with it. If any Intel people are listening to this and you had anything to do with ACPI, shoot yourself now, before you reproduce.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus & the Lunatics, Part II, 2003-11-25, 2006-08-28 http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7279, 2000s, 2000-04

“The fact is, the people who have created open source and made it a success have been the developers doing work - and the companies that we could get involved by showing that we are not all insane crazy people like the FSF. The people who have *destroyed* projects have been lawyers that claimed to be out to "save" those projects.”

Linus Torvalds

https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/ksummit-discuss/2016-August/003580.html
2010s, 2017

“It has nothing to do with dinosaurs. Good taste doesn't go out of style”

Linus Torvalds

About the C programming language, vs. C++ Re: RFC Convert builin-mailinfo.c to use The Better String Library., 7 Sep 2007, gmane.comp.version-control.git, 12 Sep 2012 http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/57957, 2000s, 2007

“Your problem has nothing to do with git, and everything to do with emacs. And then you have the gall to talk about "Unix design" and not gumming programs together, when you yourself use the most gummed-up piece of absolute sh*t there is!”

Linus Torvalds

Message, Git mailing list, 2008-12-17, Gmane, Torvalds, Linus, 2008-12-18 http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/103400, 2000s, 2008

“You know you're brilliant, but maybe you'd like to understand what you did 2 weeks from now.”

Linus Torvalds

Linux 1.3.53 CodingStyle documentation, 2011-08-13, 1995 https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/process/coding-style.rst, 1990s, 1995-99

“2.6.: still a stable kernel, but accept bigger changes leading up to it (timeframe: a month or two).2.. x: aim for big changes that may destabilize the kernel for several releases (timeframe: a year or two). x. x: Linus went crazy, broke absolutely everything, and rewrote the kernel to be a microkernel using a special message-passing version of Visual Basic. (timeframe: "we expect that he will be released from the mental institution in a decade or two").”

Linus Torvalds

Message to Linux kernel mailing list, 2005-03-02, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-12-11 http://lkml.org/lkml/2005/3/2/247, 2000s, 2005

“Portability is for people who cannot write new programs.”

Linus Torvalds

Post to comp.os.minix newsgroup, 1992-01-29, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=1992Jan29.231426.20469%40klaava.Helsinki.FI, According to Torvalds, this was "tongue in cheek" (Ibid.) 1990s, 1991-94

“Controlling a laser with Linux is crazy, but everyone in this room is crazy in his own way. So if you want to use Linux to control an industrial welding laser, I have no problem with your using PREEMPT_RT.”

Linus Torvalds

Kernel development, 2007, Torvalds, Linus http://lwn.net/Articles/396997/,. 2000s, 2007

“It's a bird … it's a plane … no, it's KernelMan, faster than a speeding bullet, to your rescue. Doing new kernel versions in under 5 seconds flat …”

Linus Torvalds

Announcement for Linux 1.3.27, 1995-11-14, Torvalds, Linus, 2017-04-25 http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/alpha/9509.1/0006.html, 1990s, 1995-99

“I don't respect people unless I think they deserve the respect. There are people who think that respect is something that should be given, and I happen to be one of the people who is perfectly happy saying no; respect should be earned. And without being earned, you don't get it. It's really that simple.”

Linus Torvalds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mg5_gxNXTo

DebConf 14: Q&A with Linus Torvalds

DebConf 2014 Portland

Youtube/Google

14min35

2014

Daniel Gillmore, Ana Guerrerero López.
2010s, 2014

“Guess what? Wheels have been round for a really long time, and anybody who "reinvents" the new wheel is generally considered a crackpot. It turns out that "round" is simply a good form for a wheel to have. It may be boring, but it just tends to roll better than a square, and "hipness" has nothing what-so-ever to do with it.”

Linus Torvalds

Attributed Source: on Desktop_architects: Drivers &ndash; below the OS, Fri Aug 3 18:12:57 PDT 2007 https://lists.linux-foundation.org/pipermail/desktop_architects/2007-August/002446.html.

“Yeah. And as Linus once said: most numerical problems today in pure CPU cycles are actually 3D games. … It's not "incorrect" to say that you want the result faster, even if that result doesn't match your theoretical models.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to GCC mailing list, 2001-07-30, Torvalds, Linus, 2009-10-15 http://gcc.gnu.org/ml/gcc/2001-07/msg02084.html, Torvalds did not originate this quote. It is a reference from David Braben following the release of Elite, and is itself a rephrasing of a reference to relative worth of game coding. 2000s, 2000-04

“EFI is this other Intel brain-damage (the first one being ACPI).”

Linus Torvalds

the first one being ACPI Message to linux-kernel mailing list, 2006-07-24, Torvalds, Linus, 2007-05-28 http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/7/25/23, 2000s, 2006

“Making Linux GPL'd was definitely the best thing I ever did.”

Linus Torvalds

The Pragmatist of Free Software: Linus Torvalds Interview, Yamagata, Hiroo, 1997‐11‐11, 2019-05-06 https://tech-insider.org/linux/research/1997/0920.html, 1990s, 1995-99

“The main reason there are no raw devices [in Linux] is that I personally think that raw devices are a stupid idea.”

Linus Torvalds

Message, linux-kernel mailing list, 1996-10-17, IU, Torvalds, Linus, 2017-04-25 http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9610.2/0030.html, 1990s, 1995-99

“Don't bother. Bram doesn't know what he's talking about.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus vs. Bram Cohen, 2005-04-27, Torvalds, Linus, 2013-10-03 http://www.gelato.unsw.edu.au/archives/git/0504/2197.html, 2000s, 2005

“For example, the GPLv2 in no way limits your use of the software. If you're a mad scientist, you can use GPLv2'd software for your evil plans to take over the world ("Sharks with lasers on their heads!!"), and the GPLv2 just says that you have to give source code back. And that's OK by me. I like sharks with lasers. I just want the mad scientists of the world to pay me back in kind. I made source code available to them, they have to make their changes to it available to me. After that, they can fry me with their shark-mounted lasers all they want.”

Linus Torvalds

Linux Licensing, Forbes, 2006-03-09, Lyons, Daniel, 2006-08-28 http://www.forbes.com/technology/2006/03/09/torvalds-linux-licensing-cz_dl_0309torvalds1.html, 2000s, 2006

“Those that can, do. Those that can't, complain.”

Linus Torvalds

Post the Linux Kernel Mailing List, 2003-09-23, Torvalds, Linus, 2007-06-26, http://web.archive.org/20050226095919/kerneltrap.org/node/901, 2005-02-26 http://kerneltrap.org/node/901, Torvalds did not originate this quote http://shlomif.livejournal.com/39215.html, and there are earlier records for it. This is a variation on "He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches," which is also attributed to George Bernard Shaw. 2000s, 2000-04

“No. That's it. The cool name, that is. We worked very hard on creating a name that would appeal to the majority of people, and it certainly paid off: thousands of people are using linux just to be able to say "OS/2? Hah. I've got Linux. What a cool name". 386BSD made the mistake of putting a lot of numbers and weird abbreviations into the name, and is scaring away a lot of people just because it sounds too technical.”

Linus Torvalds

1990s, 1991-94

“But this is definitely another of those "This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Al-biwan Ke-Viro, you're my only hope" issues. Al? Please don't make me wear that golden bikini.”

Linus Torvalds

Re: fasync_remove_entry oops, Torvalds, Linus, 2013-03-07, 2013-05-01 https://lkml.org/lkml/2013/3/7/529, 2010s, 2013

“C++ is a horrible language. It's made more horrible by the fact that a lot of substandard programmers use it, to the point where it's much much easier to generate total and utter crap with it.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to gmane.comp.version-control.git mailing list, 2007-09-06, Torvalds, Linus, 2007-09-22 http://article.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.git/57918, 2000s, 2007

“We're not masturbating around with some research project. We never were. Even when Linux was young, the whole and only point was to make a *usable* system. It's why it's not some crazy drug-induced microkernel or other random crazy thing.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus Torvalds - LKML, Torvalds, Linus, 2012-03-08, 2012-09-11 https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/3/8/495, 2010s, 2012

“I'm always right. This time I'm just even more right than usual.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to linux-kernel mailing list, 2005-07-14, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org/msg83284.html, 2000s, 2005

“You try to claim that the GPLv3 causes "More developers", and that, my idiotic penpal, is just crazy talk that you made up.”

Linus Torvalds

LKML
June 18, 2007
http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/43013fe224f562e0.
2000s, 2007

“I am a lazy person, which is why I like open source, for other people to do work for me.”

Linus Torvalds

Torvalds, Linus, 2015-01-15, <nowiki>Linus Torvalds on why he isn’t nice: &quot;I don’t care about you&quot;</nowiki>, 2015-01-20 http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/linus-torvalds-on-why-he-isnt-nice-i-dont-care-about-you/, 2010s, 2015

“Once you realize that documentation should be laughed at, peed upon, put on fire, and just ridiculed in general, THEN, and only then, have you reached the level where you can safely read it and try to use it to actually implement a driver.”

Linus Torvalds

Re: ide.2.4.1-p3.01112001.patch, 2001-01-12, Torvalds, Linus, 2012-06-22 http://lkml.org/lkml/2001/1/12/24, 2000s, 2000-04

“…git actually has a simple design, with stable and reasonably well-documented data structures. In fact, I'm a huge proponent of designing your code around the data, rather than the other way around, and I think it's one of the reasons git has been fairly successful […] I will, in fact, claim that the difference between a bad programmer and a good one is whether he considers his code or his data structures more important. Bad programmers worry about the code. Good programmers worry about data structures and their relationships.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to Git mailing list, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-06-27, 2006-08-28 http://lwn.net/Articles/193245/, 2000s, 2006

“It's one of those rare "perfect" kernels. So if it doesn't happen to compile with your config (or it does compile, but then does unspeakable acts of perversion with your pet dachshund), you can rest easy knowing that it's all your own damn fault, and you should just fix your evil ways.”

Linus Torvalds

Message to Linux kernel mailing list, 2006-11-29, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-12-11 http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/11/29/249, 2000s, 2006

“Every time I see some piece of medical research saying that caffeine is good for you, I high-five myself. Because I'm going to live forever.”

Linus Torvalds

Linus' blog: "13744 supplied", 2010-08-03, Torvalds, Linus, 2010-08-23 http://torvalds-family.blogspot.com/2010/08/13744-supplied.html, 2010s, 2010

“The desktop hasn't really taken over the world like Linux has in many other areas, but just looking at my own use, my desktop looks so much better than I ever could have imagined. Despite the fact that I'm known for sometimes not being very polite to some of the desktop UI people, because I want to get my work done. Pretty is not my primary thing. I actually am very happy with the Linux desktop, and I started the project for my own needs, and my needs are very much fulfilled. That's why, to me, it's not a failure. I would obviously love for Linux to take over that world too, but it turns out it's a really hard area to enter. I'm still working on it. It's been 25 years. I can do this for another 25. I'll wear them down.”

Linus Torvalds

Torvalds, Linus, 2016-04-07, <nowiki>Linus Torvalds still wants Linux to take over the desktop</nowiki>, 2016-04-07 http://www.cio.com/article/3053507/linux/linus-torvalds-still-wants-linux-to-take-over-the-desktop.html, 2010s, 2016

“There are literally several levels of SCO being wrong. And even if we were to live in that alternate universe where SCO would be right, they'd still be wrong.”

Linus Torvalds

[Kerstetter, Jim, http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_05/b3868110_mz063.htm, Linus Torvalds: SCO Is 'Just Too Wrong', BusinessWeek Online, 2004-02-02, 2006-08-28]
2000s, 2000-04

“First off, I'm actually perfectly well off. I live in a good-sized house, with a nice yard, with deer occasionally showing up and eating the roses (my wife likes the roses more, I like the deer more, so we don't really mind). I've got three kids, and I know I can pay for their education. What more do I need? The thing is, being a good programmer actually pays pretty well; being acknowledged as being world-class pays even better. I simply didn't need to start a commercial company. And it's just about the least interesting thing I can even imagine. I absolutely hate paperwork. I couldn't take care of employees if I tried. A company that I started would never have succeeded – it's simply not what I'm interested in! So instead, I have a very good life, doing something that I think is really interesting, and something that I think actually matters for people, not just me. And that makes me feel good.”

Linus Torvalds

-- 8/15/07 -- http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/TechGovernment/News.asp?id=44682&PageMem=2 --
Attributed

“When you say, "I wrote a program that crashed Windows," people just stare at you blankly and say, "Hey, I got those with the system, for free."”

Linus Torvalds

Post to comp.os.linux.development.apps newsgroup, 1995-03-08, Torvalds, Linus, 2006-08-28 http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=3jju43%24gc8%40klaava.helsinki.fi, 1990s, 1995-99

“I like offending people, because I think people who get offended should be offended.”

Linus Torvalds

2010s, Audience Q&A following interview panel at Aalto University Center, 2012