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----- Forwarded message from Ian Kluft -----

Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:47:32 -0700
From: Ian Kluft
Subject: [LinuxPicnic] Linux Kernel open-sourced 18 years ago today

Though we celebrated the Linux Kernel release anniversary a little early
in the month to coincide with the OpenSource World Expo, today is the
actual anniversary date.

Wired Magazine marked the occasion with this article
   http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/08/0825-torvalds-starts-linux/

In 2001, when we were planning the 10th anniversary picnic called "Linux10"
(which later became the annual Linux Picnic), I had an interesting task
to figure out which date to mark the anniversary of Linux.  I picked
the date August 25 because it was the day of Linus Torvalds' announcement
that he was opening up his experimental kernel for the world to see.
He thought he was done - but his adventure had only just begun.  We didn't
have the term "Open Source" until 1998.  But as the date he invited the
public it, it's what we now understand as having open-sourced the project.

Here's an archive copy of Linus' Aug 25, 1991 message:
   http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.minix/msg/b813d52cbc5a044b?pli=1

Some people prefered a date in September which marked the date the first
prototype Linux Kernel was posted on University of Helskinki's FTP server.
Though HTTP had been invented, most early hard-core techies started using
it in large numbers in 1993.  In the pre-web Internet, FTP was how software
was posted for download.

As long as you have your reasons, either date is a valid time to celebrate
the anniversary.  For us, it seems that the date of the open-sourcing of the
kernel has stood the test of time as an accepted landmark in the Open Source
community.

----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
-bill!
Sent from my computer