7 hours ago
- Linus Torvalds' early work on Linux was technically impressive but within reach of many skilled programmers, not just a unique genius.
- Torvalds shifted from writing most code himself to primarily leading and coordinating the Linux project, delegating implementation to maintainers.
- His role as leader involves maintaining design coherence and direction, not reviewing every patch line-by-line, unlike many other project maintainers.
- This leadership style mirrors modern AI-assisted programming, where developers act as directors guiding agents (like maintainers) rather than writing all code.
- Automatic programming, when done well, requires expertise in design and communication, not just prompting, and demands training similar to Linus' evolution.