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Aalto Talk with Linus Torvalds [Full-length]

aaltouniversityace · interview · Watch on YouTube

Tech pioneers & interviewsLinux & open-source ecosystems

What it is

Linus Torvalds is interviewed at Aalto University in 2012, followed by an audience Q&A. He talks about Linux, kernel development and the desktop, and about Nvidia support. The Q&A has a well-known moment where he is blunt about Nvidia.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN links it for individual clips: the Nvidia moment, his views on C and his blunt communication style. Some commenters say the whole talk is worth watching.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 3 different months
  • 0 strong recommendations
  • first 2012, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “the whole talk by itself is very recommendable”

    Linus explains Linux desktop lacks preinstalled OS presence; whole talk worth watching.

    jcfrei, 2012-08 · Recommendation · in “What killed the Linux desktop”

  2. “The whole video, IMHO is worth a watch”

    Linus on natural hierarchy in kernel development.

    dmiladinov, 2013-03 · Recommendation · in “An Open Source Author's Lament”

  3. “Here's another video that does a better job of conveying his reasons for being the way he is.”

    Conveys Linus's reasons for his abrasive style.

    mreiland, 2015-11 · Recommendation · in “Software development: do good manners matter?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: linus torvalds, linux kernel, nvidia, c language, open source

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