Linus Torvalds is livid -- directs middle digit at Nvidia

Linus Torvalds gets graphic about his feelings toward Nvidia. Uses a few choice words to vent his anger about Nvidia's lack of Linux support.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor

Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.

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Brooke Crothers

June 17, 2012 12:51 p.m. PT

2 min read

Torvalds wasn't smiling on Thursday when asked about Nvidia.

Linus Torvalds does not like Nvidia. And we have graphic proof via YouTube.

Torvalds, the main force behind the Linux kernel, was speaking at a forum hosted by Aalto Center for Entrepreneurship in Otaniemi, Finland on June 14. He was responding to a question from the audience.

A woman explains that she was trying to get Linux working on a laptop that had an Optimus chip from Nvidia -- the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company is one of the largest graphics chip suppliers in the world.

"I was expecting that Nvidia would kind of chip in and do something...[but] they said flat out 'no' they're not doing any support," she said.

That's all Torvalds needed to hear (see video below). "Nvidia has been one of the worst trouble spots we've had with hardware manufacturers. And that's really sad because Nvidia tries to sell chips, a lot of chips into the Android market. And Nvidia has been the single worst company we've ever dealt with," he said.

"So, Nvidia, f*** you," he said at the 49:59 mark, gesturing with his middle finger.

He continued, "I think it's really sad when you sell hardware and use Linux and you are being really difficult about it."

He then qualifies his statement -- a bit. "Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that other companies are perfect either."

Let's insert a little perspective at this point. Torvalds has a history of speaking his mind. It's not hard to find quotable quotes about a variety of topics, including some very choice words about the security software crowd.

And Nvidia of course is not obligated to support Linux -- in the context that Torvalds is talking about -- if Nvida deems Linux is not worth devoting resources to.

Nvidia declined to comment.