So let's just accept that Linux geeks land on all points of the political spectrum and take a look at the personal politics and styles of the two godfathers of the open source movement: Linus Torvalds and Richard Stallman.

«...That statement packages several questionable assumptions:

1. That the only motive for developing free software is ideological.

2. That innovation in software requires a lot of funding.

3. That the only way to fund software research is through proprietary software.

4. That innovation is more important than freedom.

Interview with Linus Torvalds, during linux.conf.au-conference visit. Questions related to Linux development, ZFS, Git and also window managers. Before, Linus openly did not like GNOME, but he was disappointed with KDE 4.0 and moved to GNOME.

At the 2009 linux.conf.au Penguin Dinner, Bdale Garbee "agreed" to shave his beard if enough funds were pledged toward the cause of protecting the Tasmanian Devil from extinction. On January 22, Linus Torvalds did the honors. Something between AU$35,000 and $40,000 was raised through this effort.

"25 years after Stallman first set the GNU project in motion, what have these ideals achieved, and what can we do to ensure the future of free software? Linux Format spoke to him to find out..."

"Since the release of GPLv3, technology pundits have been opining about how adoption is unlikely, usually citing Linux's still-GPLv2 status as (often their only) example. Even though I'm a pro-GPLv3 (and, specifically, pro-AGPLv3) advocate, I have never been troubled by slow adoption, as long as it remained on a linear upswing from release day onward (which it has)..."

"Interesting commentary from Linux kernel founder Linus Torvalds a few weeks ago in an interview on Simple Talk. He covers areas including microkernels vs. monolithic kernels..."

"I do not think it means what you think it means..." -- From Balzac's blog