Is this actually from Linus? [LWN.net]

Is this actually from Linus?

Posted Sep 11, 2003 16:33 UTC (Thu) by willy (subscriber, #9762)
Parent article: Linus responds to SCO

There's something about the writing style that just doesn't strike
me as being Linus-like. Where was this letter sent to originally?
Sorry, but it seems to me this may be a forgery.

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Re: Is this actually from Linus?

Posted Sep 11, 2003 16:42 UTC (Thu) by Ross (subscriber, #4065) [Link]

Why do you say that? Have you read Linus' messages before? It sounds
exactly like him. If this is a forgery the person did a good job.

Re: Is this actually from Linus?

Posted Sep 11, 2003 17:14 UTC (Thu) by willy (subscriber, #9762) [Link]

> Why do you say that? Have you read Linus' messages before? It sounds
> exactly like him. If this is a forgery the person did a good job.

Yes, I'm a kernel hacker myself, so I hang on his every word ;-)
That doesn't stop me walking straight past him in the street ...
until my wife said "Who was that guy who was smiling at you funny?"
*sigh*.

One of the things that strikes me as inauthentic about this text is
the constant use of "we". Linus is normally very particular about
only speaking for himself.

Re: Is this actually from Linus?

Posted Sep 11, 2003 17:15 UTC (Thu) by danielpf (subscriber, #4723) [Link]

I am not used to see so much deference from Linus:

"Thank you so much for your letter."
"Until then, please accept our gratitude for your submission,"
"Yours truly,"

I know the letter style is supposed to be ironic, but still,
Linus usual prose is factual, goes straight to the point, and
is not bound by such conventional forms.

Dan

Is this actually from Linus?

Posted Sep 11, 2003 17:39 UTC (Thu) by jre (guest, #2807) [Link]

Jeez, people -- the "Open Source community" may be informal, but it's hardly an underground. Can't someone just ask him? Jon -- what's the source on this one?