Linux is not going to die if Torvalds retires. The worst thing that could happen is it splits into multiple competing forks such that there’s no meaningful notion of “upstream”, but even that I think is unlikely.
isn’t he basically the reason there’s no official/upstream hdmi 2.1 support on Linux, with his little symbol wars?
between hdmi 2.1 and zfs he’s basically single-handedly reverted more useful, basic features and code than anyone else on the kernel team, all in the name of… DRM’ing symbols that have been “”mis-licensed”” for decades?
doesn’t really seem like a fight he had to pick, or anybody asked him to pick - the status quo was adequate for everyone involved (including users).
so why is that guy being in charge of Linux a good thing?
doesn’t seem that complex to not go around starting trouble when the status quo is stable and fine. Maybe Linux just appreciates boat-rockers more than the Unix world though - there are no Poetterings or GKHs eagerly churning everything in that part of the world.