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Product Details
- Hardcover: 262 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.03 x 9.48 x 6.40
- Publisher: HarperBusiness; 1st edition (May 8, 2001)
- ISBN: 0066620724
- In-Print Editions: Paperback | Audio Cassette (Abridged) | Audio CD (Abridged) | All Editions
- Average Customer Review:
 Based on 65 reviews.
- Amazon.com Sales Rank: 18,446
(Publishers and authors: improve your sales)
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Most 31-year olds can't boast of being the instigator of a revolution. But then again, the world's leading promoter of open source software and creator of the operating system Linux does humbly call himself an accidental revolutionary--accidental being the operative word here. Just for Fun is the quirky story of how Linus Torvalds went from being a penniless, introverted code writer in Helsinki in the early 1990s to being the unwitting (and rather less than penniless) leader of a radical shift in computer programming by the end of the decade. OK, perhaps "story" in the traditional sense of the term is stretching it a bit. This whole book is more like a series of e-mails, an exercise in textual communication for someone more used to code language than conversation: choppy sentences packed into short paragraphs, and sometimes just one-liners. The pace is fast, but the quippy tone can get somewhat tiring, though it definitely suits the portrayal of a computer-dominated life. And like an e-mail conversation, the tense often changes, the topics jump back and forth, and the narrators occasionally change, mostly alternating between the Linux man himself and Red Herring executive editor David Diamond, who convinced the difficult-to-pin-down Torvalds to write his story (or at least allow Diamond to poke, prod, and pull it out of him, all the while giving his own impressions and interpretations). But Torvald's tale contains enough informative and entertaining tidbits--on growing up in dark, strangely silent but communication-gadget-obsessed Finland (which boasts more cell phones per capita than anywhere else), on what makes passionate code writers tick, on making the transition from unknown computer geek to world-famous computer geek, on the convergence of technology and ideology, on his work for Transmeta and involvement (or lack thereof) with all the players worth mentioning in Silicon Valley - to keep more than just computer programmers engrossed in his story. For the latter, of course, Just for Fun will be required reading. If you pick up this book as a geek's guide to the meaning of life (which, believe it or not, Torvalds does ramble on about at the beginning and the end), then you're in for a bit of a shallow take on the whole thing. But if you're interested in the idea of technological development as a global team sport, and how a nerdy Finnish transplant to California got the whole game going in the first place, check out Linus's story... just for fun, of course. --S. Ketchum
From Publishers Weekly
The autobiography of a career computer programmer, even an unorthodox one, may sound less than enthralling, but this breezy account of the life of Linux inventor Torvalds not only lives up to its insouciant title, it provides an incisive look into the still-raging debate over open source code. In his own words (interspersed with co-writer Diamond's tongue-in-cheek accounts of his interviews with the absentminded Torvalds), the programmer relates how it all started in 1981 with his grandfather... read more
Book Description
"I was a nerd. Geek. From fairly early on. I didn't duct-tape my glasses together, but I might as well have, because I had all the other traits. Good at math, good at physics, and with no social graces whatsoever. And this was before being a nerd was considered to be a good thing." In this witty and engrossing narrative, Linus Torvalds, the brilliant mastermind behind the latest Internet revolution, in collaboration with writer David Diamond, chronicles his transformation from a pale, skinny Helsinki college kid to an international folk hero. What began as a childhood hobby soon became the astonishing phenomenon known as the LINUX operating system. LINUX was created because Linus was curious to see if he could improve upon the operating systems already out there, such as UNIX. How could he create a system that could run all of his favorite software with fewer crashes and faster productivity? Linus posted his early versions of LINUX on the Internet and called upon the most brilliant minds in computer science to enhance his system. What happened next took the world by storm. Linus wasn't the first to use the power of the open source movement, but the excitement he generated when he offered his system to the world was unprecedented. What made LINUX revolutionary was its journey to become the marvel it is today -- and how the system grew from the meeting of thousands of minds around the world. Suddenly, Linus's creation was available for everyone to use, for free! Anyone could improve LINUX at whim. No monopolies, no trade secrets, no whispering behind closed doors. LINUX wasn't controlled by a select few -- this remarkable creation was accessible to absolutely anyone -- and still is. The LINUX system is still constantly evolving and improving every day a decade after its inception. Linus describes the history of LINUX in graspable terms and details how the system itself works, without lapsing into mindboggling technical jargon. Part autobiography and part business philosophy, Just for Fun brims with biographical detail about the radical spirit and creativity of Linus Torvalds. It offers a unique glimpse into the mind of an accidental revolutionary and how the altruistic creation of LINUX flourished so successfully in the open source movement. For general readers, Torvalds spins a witty tale of his fascinating life. Here is the story of a young man who, as a still-rising star, keeps his feet on the ground through a combination of self-deprecating humor and the realization that life is simply about having a good time. Linus's narrative teems with clever anecdotes and his captivating opinions on the future of competition in the computer world. Linus even reveals his own take on the meaning of life. For techies, this is a candid glimpse at the life of this honored, yet unintentional hero. Linus offers a compelling look at how he sees the road ahead for LINUX and the computer industry. He also divulges how LINUX began as a small spark and spread like wildfire across the world. Although he's the first to admit that roaring down the freeway in his shiny new BMW has its benefits, Linus never intentionally sought fame and fortune. Yet both found him when Linus Torvalds radically changed the world of technology for one selfish reason: He did it just for fun.
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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.  Funny reading., October 8, 2004
This book is exactly what I expected it to be.
Linus don't give us a detailed explanation on why he did things this way but frankly, this is not an error for a book of this category.This book is an auto biografy, not a kernel hacker's book.
Reading this book you will feel how the Torvald's life is going on.
It's true. Reading this you will undertand Torvalds is tired about Linux.Yes. Linux is now a job, no more an hobby. Linux is responsability.With great surprise you'll discover that Torvalds has nothing against Microsoft. This book is fun. I like the Tovald's way of writing. Very informal. I read this book three times and I consider it one of the best autobiographies I ever read.Higly recommended. --This text refers to the Paperback edition
Was this review helpful to you?   (Report this)  More details needed. Expected more, but interesting., August 30, 2004
I picked this up to read during a 10-hour plane ride. Having been using both Linux and FreeBSD for my business, this book struck my interest.
I'm not really even sure what this book is supposed to be or who the intended audience is. The book is dumbed down and details are skimmed over, which is frustrating for any Linux user. Only a Linux user would want to read this anyway and they would want a technical book.
Most of the book is written by Linus. While the history of his life is interesting, the lack of details and technical know-how is left out. I was hoping for more under-the-hood details and OS vs OS discussion. Instead of the "my way is better", I was hoping for more of a discussion on architecture views. Clearly, other OS authors don't think they are writing anything less than their best either.
Sadly, Linus seems to have lost the passion for his OS. I was expecting an uplifting sales pitch or a "we will do anything in our power to make Linux the best it can be". Instead you are faced with him stating that he doesn't know what the future will bring. That is a bit scary coming from the one that controls the kernel. Money has clearly gone to his head. There is nothing wrong with money, just the attitude that usually comes along with it.
Linus seems to use this book as a means for venting. Bashing everything to other operating systems (normally with no argument to back it up) to root beer. Hey, I like root beer! The venting includes some big names in the industry some of whom he walked out on.
Other important open source contributors and biggest names in Linux development are left out. The open source movement happened because a lot of people worked together, not just on this project but many other important ones such as X, Perl, Apache, KDE, Gnome, etc, etc.
The co-author really makes the book frustrating. Extra chapters a sprinkled in with recaps of visits with Linus. He follows him around like a lost puppy and observes him as a comic book hero. Instead of adding anything to the story of Linux, he only sheds light on visits, observations, and family details. To make matters worse, the guy uses a MAC. Why is this guy writing the book?
Highlights include a bit more background on Linus's personal life, a rapidly skipped-over timeline of Linux OS, his Finnish-to-America transition, some details on Java, and some interesting takes on the open-source movement.
Frustrations include Linus's constant complaining, lack of technical detail, poor co-author that doesn't use or know anything about Linux, unnecessary opinions about the meaning of life among other things, and lack of passion for Linux.
This book could have been so much better, but it is still worth reading if these topics interest you.
Linus, you are a good guy but you aren't my hero.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition
Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:  Insightful!, June 9, 2004
In Just for Fun, Linus Torvalds, the Finnish creator of the Linux operating system, mixes his personal story, told in both narrative and e-mail dispatches, with the saga of his development of the Linux operating system. Torvalds' personal account makes the book fascinating. He began as a self-proclaimed nerd (and even a jerk) who labored to create an operating system in his garage and eventually became the head of the world's largest open source project. By requiring buyers and licensees to keep the Linux source code open, Torvalds assures the continued technological evolution of his system. The episodic nature of the book makes it choppy, the technical descriptions are hard for the uninitiated to track and co-writer David Diamond's digressions are revealing about Torvalds' personal life, but a little disruptive. Even so, we recommend this entertaining, interesting book that may even lead you to consider using Linux on your computer, whether or not you are another self-proclaimed computer nerd. --This text refers to the Paperback edition
Was this review helpful to you? (Report this) 3 of 12 people found the following review helpful:  Expecting much better, April 28, 2004
First problem Mr. Torvalds co-wrote the book - should've left it to the professionals. Though one gets the impression from the book that he's such a control freak that wasn't an option. Considering his ego I'm suprised the book wasn't longer. A lot of drivel, negative comments about industry people he's met, ego stroking, self-important blather. He's cashed out, made his millions and good for him - think he'd acknowledge the Free Software Foundation/GNU etc. instead of critizing them. Nothing wrong with being a sell-out, just don't deny it and minimize the contributions others made to your success. --This text refers to the Paperback edition
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