“Things were looking up for Linus Torvalds in 1999. The Linux
inventor became a fixture on business sections during the year
while Linux-based stocks became a Wall Street darling.”
“High-tech stories have a tendency to follow a predictable
pattern through news organizations. They start, as discoveries, in
the science section. While developing, the story is ceded to the
technology section, and when a product is released, the business
section wants in. Eventually, there’s a full-page feature in
lifestyles. In 1999, the biggest technology story was fact that
Linux is no longer is just a technology story. The general public
may not be impressed by security or reliability, but it is
impressed with 500 percent gains in the stock market….“
“1. LINUX RICHES
The graduation of Linux from the tech section to the business
section might have seemed inevitable to Linus Torvalds enthusiasts
last year – but hardly to the general public, and not even to
business readers. A year ago, there were still giggles when Linux
stories were discussed in newsroom meetings, and business editors
weren’t all that interested. For example, in 1998, there were 16
stories in The Wall Street Journal mentioning Linux.”