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Top Ten mailing list posts in the history of free/open source software

25 July 2008

A few months ago, we looked at Linus Torvalds in his own words, which was surprisingly popular (for a filler ;). So following the same approach (i.e. too busy to write something original today ;), what are the top-ten best mailing list posts in the history of free/open source software?

This is pretty difficult to say of course, so here are ten coolest posts that spring to mind. If you can think of a better one, please do paste a link in the comments.

  1. Martin Bligh and Andrew Morton almost manage to ban binary kernel blobs.
  1. Discussion on the Debian bugs mailing list about RMS VS VRMS.
  1. Ingo Molner produces an estimate of What is the Linux kernel worth?
  1. After being falsely accused by stealing his own code, Linus leads the fight back with explicitly documenting patch submission, the first paragraph is classic Linus.
  1. Jeremy Allison protests Microsoft-Novell Pact. (I think this started on a mailing list originally).
  1. In 1983, Richard Stallman goes public with his radical new ideas for a New UNIX implementation.
  1. The Linux kernel, the most successful ever Unix-like kernel, ported to more processor architectures than any operating system is history, started as just a hobby.
  1. Poul-Henning Kamp introduces the bike shed into the free software world.
  1. Tim Peters' classic Zen of Python (follow up)
  1. Jeff Waugh finally reveals the answer to the biggest mystery in free software.

Okay that is my pick, what have I missed? Please post your suggestions in the comments below.

1 Fábio Emilio Costa says...

Linus/Tanenbaum smashdown. I believe that on that time Linus was more wise: microkernel is more advanced, but monolithic "works right".

Posted at 6:05 p.m. on July 25, 2008


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Command Line Warriors is about taking control of your own technology, it looks at our experiences of computing; especially using GNU/Linux, the Python programming language, the command-line and issues such as techno-ethics, best practices and whatever is cool now. If you take control of your technology then you are a Warrior too!

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