Linus and Linux

TTTO “Goliat” by Kaveret

Once in ancient history,

UNIX was a mystery

Code was closed and hidden,

From the hackers eyes a-prying

But a guy from lands of cold

Wrote a new one, and he told

“Read the code, it’s free for all

I don’t mind any spying”

Bugs were there, but shallow all

For the law that’s “Linus” called

If we work together

We will find them to the last one

Change and distribute it please

But just don’t be a big sleaze

Give us all the sources

You had yours, let us have our fun

All other UNIXes, they fought until they died

But with Linus as the leader, and with GNU there at our side

We are sharing our code with GPL

It got ported everywhere

64 bits – not a care

Where the GCC has worked

Then Linux’s sure to follow

SMP was no big deal

Now the kernel lock is pealed

All the patches going ‘round

The tree was sure to swallow

All other UNIXes, they fought until they died

But with Linus as the leader, we knew that we could trust our guide

We would wait for the mail with the release:

Read the patches, bugs have been fixed, now please patch if you will

Please compile, install the kernel, it does not take much skill

Read the patches, bugs have been fixed, now please patch if you will

We disclaim responsibility if boxes you kill

Distributions take it all

Roll it up into a ball

Put it on a CD

Or the web for downloading

Put up fixes for the bugs

All holes they so swiftly plug

To prevent computers

From the cracking and exploding

Linus now is not alone

Happy so to share his throne

With the people who have helped

To code this damn fine kernel

Now so many people know

Understand the program’s flow

They can fix the bugs because

They understand internals

All other UNIXes, they matter less and less

For with Linus as our leader, we can now proclaim sucess

Though now others, send mail with the release:

Read the patches, bugs have been fixed, now please patch if you will

Please compile, install the kernel, it does not take much skill

Read the patches, bugs have been fixed, now please patch if you will

We disclaim responsibility if boxes you kill

Read the patchs for bugs have been fixed –

And some more features in there mixed –

Now please patch if you kindly will