Torvalds likens Linux development to a social network

Linus Torvalds, the Linux project coordinator who has written 2% of the Linux code, compares open source development to social networks where trust and relationship are the primary drivers of development process.

In an interview with the CEO of Linux Foundation, Jim Zemlin, goes beyond technological capabilities of its members. He said:

“What happens is people know. They’ve seen other people do work over the last months or years, in some cases decades, and they know that, ‘OK, I can trust this person. When he sends me a patch, it’s probably the right thing to do even if I don’t understand quite why’ — and you kind of build up this network.

While Linux development is current confined in the US and Western Europe, it does not mean that people around the globe do not appreciate open source. Rather, there are several stumbling blocks such as language barriers, cultural difference and online connectivity.

And just any regular social networking site like MySpace and Facebook, connections really matter. If you have a huge following, it can easily help fast track the development and send the message to community quickly.

Via Computerworld