The Right Kind Of Hero
Early on in my 15-year tenure at CRN, that pick was awfully tough, and the arguments got pretty contentious right up to deadline. Those debates have been quieter for the past several years but no less polarizing. Our pick of Linus Torvalds as No. 1 this year is bound to be no exception.
We considered a security chieftain, as well as the top executives of IBM and Microsoft, who so clearly believe in the channel that their passion for partners is palpable. But ultimately, it was clear that the actions of the Linux technology community have had a ripple effect across the entire industry in the past year like no other. And no other single person represented the controversy over Linux and the open-source approach to software licensing better than Linus Torvaldswho took on his first commercial post last year on behalf of the Linux community.
In my eyes, what makes Torvalds so influential is his sheer charisma. Here's a guy who does very little to promote himselfgenerally shunning public industry events and preferring the company of his young family tucked away in the Oregon woodyet his quiet passion has made believers of growing scores of application developers and solution providers.
Like it or not, the actions of Torvalds' proponents in the commercial world have clearly shaped the actions of IBM and Microsoft. The former has spent literally billions on Linux technology, while the latter has mobilized its considerable marketing muscle and appealed to loyal channel partners to counter Linux and the open-source movement. Hewlett-Packard, meanwhile, has gone out of its way to support various Linux derivatives with its hardware and, according to at least one researcher, is the leader in Linux server shipments.
It would be like Torvalds to laugh off the buzz this week's ranking is bound to generate. It'll probably just be an unwanted distraction that takes him away from his heartfelt belief that the world of software development must and will benefit from the open-source approach. No matter the fate of Linux, you have to admire Torvalds' passion. Because, ultimately, he's right.
Who's your hero? HEATHER CLANCY, Editor at CRN, appreciates your comments and feedback at [email protected].