Funny, but true Linus Torvalds Quote

[RMorris78]

"I compare it to science vs. witchcraft. In science, the whole system builds on people looking at other people's results and building on top of them. In witchcraft, somebody had a small secret and guarded it -- but never allowed others to really understand it and build on it."

-Linus Torvalds

Now thats a good analogy...

[tribaal]

And huh... let's make sure I got this straight: we're... science right?

:mrgreen:

- trib'

[nalmeth]

Nice, how sardonic of him!

[LLRNR]

"I compare it to science vs. witchcraft. In science, the whole system builds on people looking at other people's results and building on top of them. In witchcraft, somebody had a small secret and guarded it -- but never allowed others to really understand it and build on it."

-Linus Torvalds

That's really nice - it's so well spoken, I like it.

Hmmm in fact I think I can refer to that quote to some non-believers... Could you please provide a reference ? Such that I'll be able to "prove" to the persons I talk to that it's a real quote ?

LLRNR

[RMorris78]

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/aug2004/tc20040818_1593.htm

Pretty interesting article, it is from 2004 though, so a little outdated.

What an interesting guy. Quite a sense of humor as well.

[towsonu2003]

"I compare it to science vs. witchcraft. In science, the whole system builds on people looking at other people's results and building on top of them. In witchcraft, somebody had a small secret and guarded it -- but never allowed others to really understand it and build on it."

-Linus Torvalds

Not sure if feminists (especially radical feminists) would be happy about the analogy - if it were like this wouldn't it be better:

...In sorcery...
Because I'd think either

witches shared their information with their female fellows,
or intelligent women were labeled as witches and lynched by the patriarchy of the time. In either case, the free software movement ought to be more like witchcraft than science. Science usually:

is elitist,
resists to change,
supports status-quo.
Disclaimer: this is not a troll :cool:

[LLRNR]

@ RMorris78 : Thanks for the link, I'm looking forward to read the whole interview.

@ Towsonu2003 : Huh ?! I think the sense of "witchcraft" was a generic one, and I deduct this from the context in which it is used. The sense of "witchcraft" in this context would be the general one of "sorcery", as you pointed out... Either way, witchcraft (in the medieval acceptance of the word) is history now, so I don't see why there would be problems.

About the second part of your post... Disregard this entry, please, I misunderstood your point :D

LLRNR

[jbtito03]

Hi...

I think that he was pointing at the formal sience with the three characteristics. :D


Cheers...


JB


P.S. And i think that witchcraft has one thing the GNU/Linux OSS GPL community does not have - SEXY BABES CODING :D :D :D :D Or maybe? Would be an interesting topic? As we all saw "Charmed" - this babes RULE :P

[LLRNR]

Dammit ! Word topic is always confusing :(

I read:


In either case, the free software movement ought to be more like witchcraft than science, which always is...

instead of


In either case, the free software movement ought to be more like witchcraft than science, which always is...

Thanks for the clarification :D

LLRNR

[angkor]

Now thats a good analogy...

Interesting analogy, but to stay with that analogy it would mean that witchcraft gives you more power. ;)

[manmower]

In either case, the free software movement ought to be more like witchcraft than science, which always

is elitist,
resists to change,
usually supports status-quo.
Disclaimer: this is not a troll :cool:

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but I have to disagree with you.


Anyone can apply scientific thinking should they want to, the problem is most people are perfectly happy without it. The choice is theirs.
Science is all about challenging current beliefs/hypotheses and looking for alternatives when evidence against the current understanding of things accumulates.
Science in a way is a motor for change... As questions are (tentatively) answered new questions are raised. This IMHO invites people to think for themselves and question the current knowledge rather than clinging to it desperately.

[towsonu2003]

About the second part of your post... Disregard this entry, please, I misunderstood your point :D

lol :mrgreen: I'll try to clarify that part though :)