Sunday, April 23, 2006

linus torvalds is not a villian

linux creator linus torvalds recently fixed a bug in the linux kernel that was revealed by the failure of the new cross-platform virus to operate properly on newer versions of the linux kernel...

but some folks, like the normally bright eddy willems, take offense to this... they seem to be thinking that mr. torvalds made the patch so that the virus would operate - that's a ridiculous notion...

there was a BUG in the OS... linux was not operating the way it was supposed to... i don't care if it was a virus or satan himself who revealed the fact, the kernel needed to be fixed... sure fixing the OS so that it behaves as intended helps the virus operate - making sure the OS behaves as intended has the potential to help ALL software for that platform...

unbelievable and unforgivable? hardly... i'd reserve those terms to someone who'd keep their OS broken just to spite a particular proof of concept virus... talk about cutting off your nose in spite of your face... i think some folks are missing some perspective here...

i'll grant you that mr. torvalds is a little off on his understanding of what viruses are if he thinks this thing isn't a virus, but fixing the OS was still the right thing to do...

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