Charting expletives from the Linux Kernel Mailing List
Climate Study
© Lead Image © Cornelius, Fotolia.com
Kernel amateurs are best advised to read summaries of the heated discussions on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML) before they delve in. We analyze 2.5 million postings to study the density of cursing.
Every now and then, a message reaches social media that Linux boss Linus Torvalds has flipped out once again and dressed down kernel colleagues with rude words. Some Linux enthusiasts look on this with amusement, enjoying the tirades of the great dictator over a cool drink after work; others see the harsh nature of the language as representing an intimidating boy's club culture that privileges insiders.
The issue of language on the kernel list has been in the foreground for the last few years. In 2013, Intel developer Sarah Sharp led an effort to improve civility among kernel developers [1], and Red Hat's Lennart Poettering has also spoken up for more politeness and less abusive language [2].
In 2015, Linus responded to criticism by posting a Code of Conflict [3] that affirms the need for civility in the code review process, instructing developers to contact the Linux Foundation's Technical Advisory Board if they feel the process is threatening or abusive, and ending with a directive to not let things get personal:
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE for People Initiative Calls for AI Ban in Plasma
A new community of KDE wants the project to adopt a strict no-AI policy for KDE Plasma.
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.
-
AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using “Hideous” Code
A Linux developer used AI to fix bottlenecks that caused problems when building the kernel. The resulting AI-generated code needed a lot of work.
-
Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
-
2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
-
Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
-
Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
-
China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.