Linus Named as a hero of the last 60 years by European Time Magazine

**bigtomrodney** · 11-13-2006

I hate to mirror slashdot but I thought I should post this -

http://www.time.com/time/europe/hero2006/torvalds.html

Pretty good going there.

**fingal** · 11-13-2006

Hey thanks. I like to read about his achievements.

**techieMoe** · 11-13-2006

That's cool. Did any other OSS personalities make the list?

**bigtomrodney** · 11-13-2006

Not that I can see on the list. However John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon of the Sex Pistols made it. I don't get that one, I've never thought of the Sex Pistols as punk, they were more like a boyband for me. I know he was the first person on television to say the 'F' word but I don't think that was genius, more a matter of time.

**techieMoe** · 11-13-2006

Originally Posted by bigtomrodney

Not that I can see on the list. However John "Johnny Rotten" Lydon of the Sex Pistols made it. I don't get that one, I've never thought of the Sex Pistols as punk, they were more like a boyband for me. I know he was the first person on television to say the 'F' word but I don't think that was genius, more a matter of time.

I suppose lists like these are just magnets for controversy, considering they're compiled by a handful of people whose opinions may or may not agree with the general population. I think choices like The Beatles or Mother Theresa are "safe" since most folks won't argue they weren't influential and important to a lot of people. The inclusion of this troll however... kind of diminishes my respect for the overall list. But then, I'd never heard of Johnny "Rotten" before today and I think I'll probably go the rest of my life not feeling like I missed out on anything.

**bigtomrodney** · 11-13-2006

Yeah he is a troll. After being this big 'influential' punk he goes on and does reality TV. Hrm....

All the same I like seeing Linus mentioned regardless of the reason especially when it's outside of the usual geek/corporate IT circles.

**fingal** · 11-13-2006

Originally Posted by bigtomrodney

I know he was the first person on television to say the 'F' word but I don't think that was genius, more a matter of time.

He wasn't quite. The theatre critic Kenneth Tynan said it before John Lydon. It's splitting hairs slightly 'cos Mr Tynan (who was controversial to say the least) said it on a late night arts programme while most people were asleep.

Kenneth Tynan also described Birmingham - where I live at the moment - as 'a cemetary without walls'. Now it's more like a shopping mall, but never mind.

**bigtomrodney** · 11-13-2006

Originally Posted by fingal

Kenneth Tynan also described Birmingham - where I live at the moment - as 'a cemetary without walls'. Now it's more like a shopping mall, but never mind.

That's terrible! Cheers for the clearup fingal, helpful as always

**genesus** · 11-13-2006

Some interesting choices, though the way the word hero has changed really bothers me, it seems that every firefighter/cop/whateversapo'theday who shows up for work is now a hero.

**cousinlucky** · 11-14-2006

I wonder what will the human race think of Linus in a hundred years from now. Will he be classified as a monster for developing something and then giving it away free for all of humanity to enjoy and tinker with?
Will he be classified as the sole catalyst for a whole different branch of the human species?

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Linus Named as a hero of the last 60 years by European Time Magazine

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