Linus Torvalds wins the tech. equivalent of a Nobel Prize: the Millennium Technology Prize.
Summary: Linux Creator's Linus Torvalds is one of two laureates for the Millennium Technology Prize. This award is close as technology has to a Nobel Prize.
Linus Torvalds, Linux's creator, has won technology's highest award.
You can win Nobel prizes for physics, chemistry, and medicine, but technology? No. There is, however the Millennium Technology Prize. This is the world's largest technology prize. It is rewarded ever two years for a technological innovation that significantly improves the quality of human life, today and in the future. This year, Linus Torvalds, Linux's creator, and Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, maker of a new way to create stem cells without the use of embryonic stem cells, are both laureates for the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize.
This prize, which is determined by the Technology Academy of Finland, is one of the world’s largest such prizes with candidates sought from across the world and from all fields of technology. The two innovators will share over a million Euros. The final winner will be announced by the President of the Republic of Finland in a special ceremony on June 13, 2012.
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Previous winners include Professor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Web; Professor Robert Langer for his invention and development of innovative biomaterials for controlled drug release and tissue regeneration; and Professor Michael Gratzel for his innovative developments in dye-sensitized solar cells.
“The Millennium Technology Prize is like the Nobel Peace Prize of technology,” said Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation. “Linus Torvalds embodies the innovation and collaborative spirit that this award stands for, and we congratulate him on this tremendous honor.”
In response to the reward, Linus said, “Software is too important in the modern world not to be developed through open source. The real impact of Linux is as a way to allow people and companies to build on top of it to do their own thing. We’re finally getting to the point where “data is just data”, and we don’t have all these insane special communications channels for different forms of data.”
Is it deserved? Well, judge for yourself. Since Torvalds created Linux in 1991, it has become the world’s most ubiquitous operating system it powers the popular Android phones and eight out of 10 financial trades; it runs Amazon, Facebook, Google, Twitter and other major web networks. It is the dominant OS for supercomputers, supporting nine of 10 of these major systems, and is the preferable platform for cloud computing. Yes, I think we can safely say this award was richly deserved.
Congratulations Linus!
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Talkback
How much money has Linus made from Linux?
I'm just curious if this will turn out to be the lion's share of profits that Linus will recoup for the blood, sweat, and tears he has poured into Linux.
"Congratulations Linus!"
Agree 100%. The world is a better place because of Linux on the server and Linux embedded into devices.
Don't tell me
Tell that to $1B+/year Redhat.
As for Linus, I am sure he gets paid very well for programming, speaking and teaching. Far more than you earn, I'd bet.
Linus Torvalds wins the tech. equivalent of a Nobel Prize: the Millennium T
[i]It is rewarded every two years for a technological innovation that significantly improves the quality of human life, today and in the future.[/i]
Ok, so where does Linus Torvalds and linux fit into this? Neither has met the requirements for the award. There is nothing innovative about linux, its just a hacked up clone of another OS. If anything, linux has done just the opposite and made people more frustrated instead of improving quality of life. I know for a fact it has not improved my life.
Someone paid off off the election committee, most likely the linux foundation. I'm calling for an investigation into this because this just can't be right.
you are such a baaaaad troll
Since I'm not a troll at all
Hey
It hasn't
dsf3g
Git .A tool of aura at the time of the versioning hells.
Start investigation!!
I've heard of it
Loverock -At least do a little research before you blow off steam
Native
My oh my! you are in a nasty mood
I may debate the true value of Linux, but you are just getting nasty. How about a nice sedative or relaxant. Go have a beer, or maybe a case. Even the Linux folks are entitled to their opinions.
Such nastiness usually comes from the drones that are so insecure about their lives that they can't accept anyone else's opinion. Then again I should remember who I'm talking to! I guess complete insecurity runs in both extremes.
Linus Torvalds wins the tech. equivalent of a Nobel Prize: the Millennium T
Waambulance
Linus Torvalds wins the Millennium Technology Prize
Actually...
Regardless, the creator and principal maintainer of the world's most popular UNIX-like kernel deserves the honor. Congratulations to Mr. Torvalds.
If anyone deserves it...
Serial killers are rejoicing