Product: 0066620732

As a huge fan of Linus Torvalds and The Linux Revolution, I waited in great anticipation for this book. Although at face value the book is pretty good, I expected a lot more. We got to hear some things on Linus’ world view and his background, but we would’ve been better rewarded with a more in depth analysis of the state of the wired and computer world, and how computing can be improved through deep proliferation of Linux. A case needs to be made for Linux on the desktop. Otherwise, Linux will be relegated to the server market too much, and The Revolution will never get televised for mass market appeal and conversion.
I truly believe Linux is the best and most meaningful OS today for a variety of technical, conceptual, and professional reasons, and Torvalds would be well advised to step outside his comfort zone and be slightly more self promoting to the mass market. Indeed, some of Gates’ success is based on shameless self promotion and some excellent books that educated and informed the public. You have to fight fire with fire beyond the silo of the Tech/IS crowd.
If you want to read a great book on Open Source, read Eric Raymond’s visionary The Cathedral and the Bazaar. Raymond isn’t as wildly anti-establishment and eccentric as GNU and UNIX guru Richard Stallman, and he’s not as self effacing as Torvalds.
Rating: 3
0066620732
Count: 36