Making Linux GPL'd was definitely the best thing I ever did

Making Linux GPL'd was definitely the best thing I ever did

Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux operating system, famously stated that making Linux GPL'd was definitely the best thing he ever did. This decision to release Linux under the GNU General Public License (GPL) was a pivotal moment in the history of open source software and has had a profound impact on the technology industry as a whole.

By choosing to license Linux under the GPL, Torvalds ensured that the source code for the operating system would be freely available to anyone who wanted to use, modify, or distribute it. This decision was in stark contrast to the proprietary software model that dominated the industry at the time, where companies tightly controlled access to their code and limited users' ability to customize or improve upon it.

The GPL was created by the Free Software Foundation (FSF) to promote the principles of software freedom, including the right to study, modify, and share software with others. By adopting the GPL for Linux, Torvalds aligned himself with the broader free software movement and helped to establish a new paradigm for software development based on collaboration, transparency, and community participation.

One of the key benefits of releasing Linux under the GPL was that it allowed a diverse group of developers from around the world to contribute to the project. This open and inclusive development model helped to accelerate the pace of innovation and led to the rapid growth and adoption of Linux in a wide range of applications, from servers and supercomputers to smartphones and embedded devices.

The success of Linux also helped to popularize the concept of open source software and inspired a new generation of developers to embrace the principles of collaboration and sharing. Today, open source software powers some of the most important technologies in the world, from the internet and cloud computing to artificial intelligence and blockchain.