Linus Torvalds gives Windows 7 a big thumbs up
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Oct 23rd 2009 3:14AM
posted Oct 23rd 2009 3:14AM
[Thanks, Mitch W.]
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Posted that hours ago here in the Windows 7 release news.
It looks like they have about $9,600 worth of Windows 7 in stock. Unless they are offering a 90% discount on every copy. Now I see why Linus is smiling :-)
Recount the inventory and better study that picture. Look at a few of the shelf slots including the one just below it and two to the left, in the rear they are stacked 4 high with one in front. If that case were full there would be a total of 240 Copies or about 48,000 worth of Windows 7.
$70,200
In the larger Image I can see there are 5 spaces that are sold out plus one missing for a total of 26 sold. Since these look like home version in full retail, I will put cost of $200 per copy (Yen/dollar varies) for a total of $42,800 left to be sold.
http://picasaweb.google.com/cschlaeger/JapanLinuxSymposium#5395358413061926434
lol
He might be squatting to take a dump. Or his thumb could represent the market share of Linux, one percent. Now that is a fair and balanced comment.
Hand gestures mean different things in different cultures.
Thumbs up...hmmm...what could that mean in what culture?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumbs_up#The_gesture_internationally
His from Finland, so to him it means "awesome", "good", or "well done".
He's laughing because Linux is eating Microsloths lunch in server OS'
Hey now Terry, MS dominates the server space in... uh... exchange. So that's pretty cool.
Yeah look at that line of customers at that w7 stand, makes him look really silly doesn't it.... or.
@Terry:
Are you really that dumb? I don't nor does anyone else see how a sub 2% market share is eating anyone's lunch.
Pure win?
I don't know, but it sure looks like Linus has lost a lot of weight.
Pure win for the guy behind the desk, looks like the dude from zelda in the kokiri forest shop
Looks like Windows 7 conquers our hearts with hopes and pride;)
can i kiss her next?
No trouble over here.
Put that across the street from an Apple Store, and hilarity ensues.
'gives 'em big thumbs up? I think he's actually saying "nice try lol".
His happy because there's still a boatload of unsold Win7
god just approved win 7.
Yeah, he did.
Sure, but Stallman is going to be pissed.
I was going to say...Torvalds seems to be pretty down to earth, but Stallman is a baby eating lunatic who considers Microsoft and Bill Gates to be the harbingers of doom. You would never catch him giving the thumbs up for Win7.
this is my new wallpaper.
You're not on Win7 Starter then?
I'm sure now that all of the 6 Linux users are going to switch Windows 7 right away.
6?!?!? I need to meet those other five people!
Microsoft obviously thinks there are about exactly 51 Linux user in Japan.
LOL
Actually most of those millions will probably see it as humorously tongue-in-cheek.
Yes, even as a Linux user, that made me laugh! :-D
Dude, that was sooo funny!
Dude, that was sooo funny!
Yawn, yes, all 6 of us, those same 6 that MS see as having a larger market share than Apple and as their biggest competitor after the pirates...
http://blogs.eweek.com/applewatch/content/macbook/microsoft_ceo_scoffs_at_mac_share_gains.html
No, only people that are logical use Linux, this obviously counts out the Middle East including you.
1,2,3,4,5,6...7 I.. I.. I'am the seventh user.....maybe.... maybe....I'AM LINUS TORVALS!!!!!!!!!!
WALLPAPER TIEM
YES I KNWO I CATN SPEL
LOLCATS CANT SPEEL
He sure showed them!
WALLPAPER TIME
For shame Linus, at least have some spine man.
Linus' spine is just fine I think, your sense of humour on the other hand...
I had to squint really hard to low rank that comment.
He's a man who can appreciate and respect his "competitor's" products, unlike that airbag Jobs.
Jeez, I wonder how much they had to pay him. I guess everyone sells out when the price is right.
you're wrong, he did it for teh lulz
Errr K?
He did it on free will, he just wondered over from the linux convention across the road, no money exchanges took place... except to get under that bar limbo style, his back hurts now.
Yes, because competitors can't *ever* get along, even for a joke, right? And Bill Gates also had to pay Steve Jobs to get him on a talkshow - twice, IIRC. Man, the things trolls write!
Linus.... Have you been drinking again?!
He should've done a Lynndie.
Oh. So that is who that is..
He is laughing right now as serious folk shout that the creator of linux endorses 7, linux folks are lolling like crazy, and normal people are chuckling good-naturedly.
Sure. Why would he bother with Win7? He's just going to continue running XP in a VM like anyone else. '-)
@collindow
I lolled. comment win I just started 5 other vms to uprank you
he has become slim......
is your money gone and is this the reason why you promote w7?
Just for clarification... this is a booth setup out front of many Yodobashi Camera stores across Japan.
I am sure this is a setup was agreed upon between Microsoft and Yodobashi Camera for general promotion and not a scheme designed by Microsoft to combat the Linux symposium. Just the wrong time and place.
Makes for a good picture though.
awesome! :-) He's a good sport
Now that's comedy. I took a pic like that not too long ago, only I was standing in front of a homo-hating, right wing Klan poster.
Now I've seen it all!
Windows 7 Wasabi version.
oh yeah, and there's that Linux dude too.
Hi Linus! How's Charlie and Snoopy?
No matter where you stand on OS technology, at least you have to admire Linus for having a good sense of humor and not resorting to actions many of the Linux zealots would have taken.
Kudos Linus...
He doing to this show he's not ignorant, like a Mr Jobs we all know.
And you're a sheep just like the rest of them!
Microsoft wishes they had some of Job's caliber. Compare their financiala kiddie.
Damn, where'd you guys all meet El Jobso? I don't know him at all. Never even seen the guy let alone talked to him.
More like a Mr. Stallman than a Mr. Jobs.
@Terry
Yes lets compare the financials for the past quarter...
Microsoft
Profits: $3.6 billion, Revenue: $12.92 billion
Apple
Profits: $1.67 billion, Revenue: $9.87 billion
Now if you mean stock prices, you are right
Microsoft: $28.68
Apple: $202.48
But seeing as Microsoft has 8.88 billion shares and Apple only has 889.81 million shares, which means 1 share of Apple is equivalent to roughly 10 shares of Microsoft, then Microsoft is ahead.
Total Value:
Microsoft: $254,678,400,000
Apple: $180,168,728,800
Sources:
Microsoft: www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gCpOwA74hreMqCmqCK-4SWbeJPtAD9BGQCAG0
Apple: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574483631612633824.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_tech
Microsoft: www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:MSFT
Apple: www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:AAPL
"Great success!"
He's probably laughing cause every one of those Widows boxes are bootlegs!
Dude, it's Japan. None of them would be bootlegs. That's China. Get a clue.
f*** your desktops, Linux is going to start killing in the server business because they are going to steal marketshare from UNIXES(AIX, H11, etc)
f*** you! Linux already dominates in the server business you douche bag. Get your facts straight before posting wrong information.
Nearly as funny as the engadget comment-system.
@#@*%@!#
That was meant to be a reply somewhere else. Oh well.
Busting on Stallman, Ballmer or Jobs seems fine, but busting on Torvalds just seems lame. He is incredibly intelligent, genuinely nice and one of the biggest critics of the Linux kernel and has many times criticized the open source community.
Oh and for those people that don't think Linux has much market share, you should consider it has the largest maketshare on servers and every android phone and WebOS phone is a linux device. Probably half of these little handheld gadgety things you see on this site are running linux.
If you think Torvalds is a genuinely nice guy, try telling him the Linux kernel and Git would be better written in C++.
Every Android and WebOS phone YES - but a big marketshare - NO!
I do confirm the servers tho.
Yep, most people in developed countries interact with multiple Linux devices in a day. The most obvious are Linux servers running many of the largest websites but Linux is quietly running a lot of other things in our homes and offices as well. Cameras, camcorders, home automation, point of sale systems, broadband routers, copiers, security systems, and ATM machines are all examples of lesser known devices that often run Linux.
This. Is. Just. Wrong.
Until you contrast it with that story about Steve Ballmer coming into a press conference and making fun of some poor sod who happened to have an iPhone..
If Linus has had a hissy fit about Windows being sold in front of a Linux conference, or even made fun of it during a speech, it would look bad. This.. Not at all.
hahahaha! ^ if the guy who posted above me is actually steve ballmer, that would be insanely hilarious.
Looks like he's enjoying Super Happy Windows 7 Fun Time Party Go!
Hey, it's "Buddy Linus"!
Look at the poor asian clerk dude, he's like wow is this guy happy to see a windows 7 booth !! He has no clue who Linus is !! LOL moment for sure.
Yeah, I know about Linus (Finnish heritage and as big a computer geek as pretty much everyone else arguing in this thread) and probably wouldn't recognize him in a crowd... even after seeing pictures of him.
Not sure I get why this is considered a dig at MS. Anyone not clued in would just see a smiling man giving Win 7 the thumbs up. Anyone who knows who he is will just see it as good natured ribbing.
But the vast majority of the world could care less who Torvalds is and even if they've heard of him, wouldn't know his face from Santa's.
He did it for the lulz. Because in a fews years, when it's realizes Windows 7 sucked ass, he'll have that photo on his wall for laugh number 2.
He he, not bad... But what would really be hilarious is for Hattori Hanzo behind the boot to start chopping Win7 packages to prepare a WinSushi...
Is he at the Japanese Burger King?
Linus has always struck me as a class act. There are tons of childish fanboys on both sides, but the guy with the biggest dog in the fight always seems to be having fun and not acting like a drama queen. I'm not the biggest Linux fan and have done my fair share of ./configure(ing), but I've always appreciated Linux's competitive presence in the marketplace. If everybody in the Linux biz comported themselves in the way he does, Linux would be the better for it. Way to go Linus - keep having fun!
Are all you MS haters clueless? You sit here and speak like you know what Mr. Torvalds is thinking and apparently you do not. See below:
I'm a big believer in "technology over politics". I don't care who it comes from, as long as there are solid reasons for the code, and as long as we don't have to worry about licensing etc issues. I may make jokes about Microsoft at times, but at the same time, I think the Microsoft hatred is a disease. I believe in open development, and that very much involves not just making the source open, but also not shutting other people and companies out. There are 'extremists' in the free software world, but that's one major reason why I don't call what I do 'free software' any more. I don't want to be associated with the people for whom it's about exclusion and hatred. -- Linus Torvalds to ars technica 7-27-09
Get a clue.
Linus is an epic troll.
That is one of those cardboard cutouts, like the ones at conventions where you can pose with a celeb with your arm around them. This picture could be at any one of dozens of Japanese kiosks.
In the states Microsoft plans on using the mac guy from the apple commercials.
who the fuck is Linus Torvalds?
Windows 7 - one more ass for Ubuntu to kick hard!
he's thumbs up because windows 7 has linux code in it and he's gonna sue.
He must be using the Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, and Thailand definition.
It seems he is just doing 'Window Shopping' in the shop!
:-)
...unfortunately for Linus the college greeks were holding their own symposim behind the Linux conference... many wedgies were given.