Software patents, in particular, are very ripe for abuse. The whole system encourages big corporations getting thousands and thousands of patents. Individuals almost never get them.
Linus TorvaldsRead
Intelligence is the ability to avoid doing work, yet getting the work done.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Intelligence allows one to find efficient ways to achieve tasks without unnecessary effort.
This quote by Linus Torvalds highlights the essence of intelligence as not merely in hard work but in effectively navigating challenges to achieve outcomes with minimal exertion. It suggests that true cleverness involves finding shortcuts and creative solutions rather than simply putting in more hours or effort, emphasizing the value of strategic thinking over brute force.
Themes
IntelligenceEfficiencyWorkCreativityStrategy
In practice
Example use cases
In a workplace seminar about improving productivity, one might reference this quote to encourage smarter work habits.
More from Linus Torvalds
All quotes βI often compare open source to science. To where science took this whole notion of developing ideas in the open and improving on other peoples' ideas and making it into what science is today and the incredible advances that we have had. And I compare that to witchcraft and alchemy, where openness was something you didn't do.
Linus TorvaldsRead
I'm sitting in my home office wearing a bathrobe. The same way I'm not going to start wearing ties, I'm also not going to buy into the fake politeness, the lying, the office politics and backstabbing, the passive aggressiveness, and the buzzwords.
Linus TorvaldsRead
Avoiding complexity reduces bugs.
Linus TorvaldsRead
Most of the good programmers do programming not because they expect to get paid or get adulation by the public, but because it is fun to program.
Linus TorvaldsRead
I have an ego the size of a small planet.
Linus TorvaldsRead
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