The non-profit Open Source Development Lab (OSDL) and chip-maker Transmeta Corp. jointly announced today that Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, will join OSDL as the first OSDL Fellow. Torvalds will join OSDL on leave from Transmeta Corporation, where he is currently a Transmeta Fellow.

As an OSDL fellow, Linus will work exclusively on leading the development of Linux, the open source software that he created in 1991 as a university student in Finland, the announcement said. Torvalds will now dedicate himself full-time to guiding a distributed team of thousands of Linux developers around the world. At OSDL, he will have hands-on access to its state-of-the-art computing resources and test facility. He will also help set priorities and direction for the Lab's different industry initiatives.

“It feels a bit strange to finally officially work on what I've been doing for the last twelve years, but with the upcoming 2.6.x release it makes sense to be able to concentrate fully on Linux,” commented Torvalds. “OSDL is the perfect setting for vendor-independent and neutral Linux development.”

“Linus has made substantial technological contributions as a member of our development team here at Transmeta,” noted Transmeta CEO Matthew R. Perry. “Transmeta appreciates and fully supports Linus' strong interest in devoting his attention and energy to certain emerging industry-wide Open Source initiatives at OSDL.”

Transmeta is an OSDL member and worked with OSDL on the transition.

 
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