this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] nukul4r@feddit.de 169 points 5 months ago

This is unexpected, and hits really hard. I tried to get one of his drivers running with a fairly new USB wifi adapter, I made a Github issue, and he was super kind and helpful. This was only in May, it feels unreal to read this news. What a terrible loss, my deepest condolences to his family and friends.

[–] mojo_raisin@lemmy.world 115 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Larry Finger, your work has made a significant positive impact on my life and I'm sure many others. Thank you.

Now can you work on a driver to allow communication between the living and the dead?

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 54 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

Can we get developers from the heavens to maintain FOSS?

[–] spacedout@lemmy.ml 43 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] Steamymoomilk@sh.itjust.works 19 points 5 months ago

Bro you dont wana be bottom stream, Theres lots of daemons

Lmao

[–] MXX53@programming.dev 84 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If a random reddit post is correct and he was 84 years old, I can only hope to have the same drive and mental ability at that age. RIP.

[–] ghostface@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago

I still say the elderly is ripe for development. Not having an issue sitting or standing for long periods of time. Plus the constant problem solving.

There should be a way to get seniors to work with and foss keystone foss projects.

Not to mention after they start its the monthly group meeting...

[–] JetpackJackson@feddit.de 37 points 5 months ago

Holy cow I can't believe it. RIP

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 29 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I hope I'm rocking that hard at 84.

My next non-alcohol bubbly drink will be in your honor, Larry.

[–] lord_ryvan@ttrpg.network 20 points 5 months ago

non-alcohol bubbly drink

Sounds like a good step towards rocking hard at 84.

[–] autotldr@lemmings.world 28 points 5 months ago (1 children)

This is the best summary I could come up with:


The Linux kernel community has sadly lost one of its longtime, prolific contributors to the wireless (WiFi) drivers.

His wife shared the news of Larry Finger's passing this weekend on the linux-wireless mailing list in a brief statement.

Larry Finger began contributing originally to the Broadcom BCM43XX driver back in the day and over the years has contributed a lot to Linux WiFi drivers.

His more recent contributions had been around the RTW88, RTW89, R8188EU, R8712, RTLWIFI, B43 and other Linux networking drivers.

In part to his contributions, the Linux wireless hardware support has come a long way over the past two decades...

Longtime Linux users will certainly remember the days of struggling with WiFi support, resorting to NDISWrapper for using Windows WiFi drivers on Linux, and other headaches compared to today's largely trouble-free wireless hardware support.


The original article contains 183 words, the summary contains 137 words. Saved 25%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 7 points 5 months ago

Great summary bot, as ever. But missed this absolute gem from the comments:

"Thanks for helping me wardrive and steal the WiFi from that dentist, Larry."

[–] narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee 24 points 5 months ago

RIP and thank you for your contributions!

[–] potentiallynotfelix@lemdro.id 24 points 5 months ago

im pretty sure i've used his drivers one time or another across my older macbooks or in one of my usb cards. RIP to Larry, I'm sure the linux community will miss his amazing contributions.

[–] Steamymoomilk@sh.itjust.works 20 points 5 months ago

Based dude May he rest in piece as a fucking legend

[–] Duckling5746@lemmy.today 19 points 5 months ago

Wow Larry contributed to these old Broadcom drivers?! I'm using them to this day on my old macbook. RIP

[–] blindbunny@lemmy.ml 17 points 5 months ago

Is this the dude that made ndiswapper actually work?

[–] UserMeNever@feddit.nl 16 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I could not get this to quote right so I used code, but look at the footer that is unfortunate.

* Re: Larry Finger
  2024-06-22 23:01 Larry Finger Denise Finger
@ 2024-06-23  5:47 ` Sirius
  2024-06-23 16:15 ` Rafał Miłecki
  1 sibling, 0 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: Sirius @ 2024-06-23  5:47 UTC (permalink / raw)
  To: Denise Finger; +Cc: linux-wireless

On lör, 2024/06/22 at 18:01:23 GMT, Denise Finger wrote:
> This is to notify you that Larry Finger, one of your developers, passed
> away on June 21st.

Sincere condolences and our deepest sympathies for your loss.

-- 
Kind regards,

/S

https://lore.kernel.org/linux-wireless/ds6wc3svkyre4p2rwg4f76o67xndazaeoyjwblhuzichscyxoz@5ttdvbymxr55/T/#mfd2f4928e0e013c10375ca766035c1385e18f8e0

If the is something better. I hope you are there.

[–] lord_ryvan@ttrpg.network 6 points 5 months ago

Being used to tone tags, that /S signature felt so weird at first.

[–] Cyber@feddit.uk 11 points 5 months ago

I'm struggling with what appears to be buggy wifi on an old Lenovo laptop... I spent a moment just looking at the logs and appreciating whoever has spent time and energy trying to get this working, probably reverse engineering without any support... I wonder if that was Larry...?

[–] foremanguy92_@lemmy.ml 10 points 5 months ago

I would like to thank him for everything, just thx ❤️ RIP

[–] Ascend910@lemmy.ml 9 points 5 months ago

F for respect

[–] BurningTurtle 5 points 5 months ago

He will be remembered for what he did for this community. RIP.

[–] grapemix@lemmy.ml 2 points 5 months ago

I hope we have a ceremony to pay our respects on pioneers like Larry.

[–] Kristof12@lemmy.ml 1 points 5 months ago