Since this link got posted twice, I'll post my response twice ...
Quote:
It's a testament to the success of Torvalds's open-source ideas... While Torvalds still oversees any changes made to the innermost core of Linux...
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There is some truth to the idea that Linux is prepared to continue it's development without a hitch if Linus were to be run over by a truck tomorrow, but the "benevolent dictator" concept of protecting the kernel is probably an important thing, and I hope plans to continue it in one form or another are in place.
A project this big which depends on a single person is on thin ice, indeed. That is my biggest concern about distros like Slackware and Ubuntu which are built around the vision and policies of one person. It's a "tribal" organization rather than a corporate one. That's one of the reasons, I choose Debian as my distro. Ian Murdock is long gone from active direction, and the model has proven it can survive his loss.