Читать книгу Linux For Dummies - Richard Blum - Страница 17

As an open source project evolves, various people emerge as leaders. This leader is often known as the project’s benevolent dictator. A person who becomes benevolent dictator has probably spent more time than anyone else on a particular problem and often has some unique insight. Normally, the words democratic and dictator are never paired in the same sentence, but the open source model is a very democratic process that endorses the reign of a benevolent dictator.

Linus Torvalds is still considered the benevolent dictator of the Linux kernel (the operating system’s core). He ultimately determines what features are added to the kernel and what features aren’t. The community trusts his vision and discretion. In the event that he loses interest in the project, or the community decides that he has gone senile, a new leader will emerge from amongst the very competent people working with him.