the man behind linux
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page 6: The Underdog Advantage
Upside: That's an interesting analogy. Tell me why
you think Linux and the open source model has been
so successful.
Torvalds: One reason Linux has been so successful is [that
it's] the underdog. To some degree, the market forces
didn't matter to a lot of the Linux developers. People
developed [Linux] because their interest wasn't getting
market share, and they didn't have a board of directors
[to whom they had] to explain every quarter's results.
You also change the market by changing the rules in
ways that Microsoft isn't willing to fail on. So, making
source [code] available is a selling point. Suddenly you
have a new rule; not everybody cares about that rule,
but those who care about [it] dismiss Microsoft out of
hand. It's like in war: You don't let the enemy select
the battlefield, you select [the] battlefield.
Upside: Do you think Linux may lead Microsoft and other
big players to alter their strategies or the battlefield?
Torvalds: To some degree I hope it will. I'll use an
analogy I think is accurate. Let's pick five big software
companies in the [United States] right now and compare
them to [the major] car manufacturers in the [United
States] in the 1950s, where [manufacturers compete]
on adding things to the car, and every year you have a
new model.
Does this sound familiar? Every year you have a new
version of Windows. And you make people aware of [which]
model year they're driving. So, there's a big difference
between the '51 Cadillac and the '52 Cadillac. People are
very aware of the year. Why? Because the car manufacturers
want them to be aware of the year or the version they've
been running--[the manufacturers are] making a lot of
money selling the next year's model. Even though the
previous year's model works fine, [they] still want to
sell next year's model.
Think of me and Linux as the Japanese car industry. Yeah,
we had an oil crisis and other issues, but basically what
you have is a car industry that is not oriented [toward]
quality but is oriented toward new features and a new
release every year. Then in come the Japanese carmakers,
and they aren't known for quality at first. But it
eventually dawns on [consumers] that, "Hey, the Japanese
cars are better made. They may not have the fins, but
on the other hand, why am I changing cars every year?"
I think that's an accurate analogy. If Microsoft is
going to change [its] practices [the way] the U.S. car
industry did, I'll be happy. If Microsoft can change
and compete on quality, I've won.
Upside: Microsoft President Steve Ballmer recently
broached the idea of open sourcing Windows. How do you
view such talk?
Torvalds: I've done all my development on the Internet,
and the first thing you learn on the Internet is that
talk is cheap. I don't believe in anything until I see
the results. It's true of anything, and it's true of
Ballmer spouting off. Show me the money!