Linux.com Article DB: Linux.com Interview: Brian Behlendorf

The Future

Linux.com: OK. Few last questions about the future. What do you see yourself doing ten years from now?

Brian Behlendorf: < laughs> Well, so long as CollabNet stays interesting I might be there, I'm not the kind to just dive in, dive out. Yes, you introduced it as my current project but it is really much more than that. So long as it stays interesting for me and is something I feel that I'm making a difference doing, I could do it for the next ten years.

If I weren't there? I don't know. I have kindof resolved that this is my last high tech. job, I'm probably not going to do another start-up but I won't rule it out conclusively.

Linux.com: What else would you do?

Brian Behlendorf: Well, I wouldn't necessarily start another business, I might do some combination of writing source code for fun, travel and, well, doing something with music. I've got a lot of different interests and many of those I've just had to shut down to focus on the business and on open source software, and I might like to pick them up again.

Linux.com: What's your favorite kind of music?

Brian Behlendorf: Electronica, ambient, dub.

Linux.com: Moby?

Brian Behlendorf: Uh, yeah, but, not as much as some others. The Orb is probably a better example that people might know. But really spooky electronic kind of music, that is nice.

Linux.com: So, how old are you?

Brian Behlendorf: I'm 28.

Linux.com: And, do you think there is intelligent life on other planets?

Brian Behlendorf: I think it is supreme hubris to think that there are not other forms of intelligence out there in the universe.

Linux.com: Do you think that we will communicate with non earth-based life forms in the next 50 years and what do you think the most likely form of that communication will be?

Brian Behlendorf: I don't think it will be within the next 50 years.

Linux.com: I do.

Brian Behlendorf: I would like to think that it is, but if you are asking me to wager, I'd like it to be but I don't think it will be that quick. I don't think it is local to our solar system. Unless there is Amoeba living in oceans on Europa or something, there might be primitive life forms on other planets or their moons, within our solar system, but I don't think there is intelligent life within our solar system.

We won't be able to verify any out-of-the-solar-system communication until we get a response and the speed of light, to get a response, it takes so long that we'd never hear back.

Linux.com: So even if we received what we thought was a message from an extraterrestrial intelligence we wouldn't really have communicated until we get a response?

Brian Behlendorf: Right. I think we're going to have to wait until we travel faster than light.

Linux.com: Cool. Well, thank you very much for talking with us at Linux.com.

Brian Behlendorf: < laughs> My pleasure.

About the author: SA Hayes is a writer, editor and tinkerer living in Northern California, for which he is grateful. When not working on computers Hayes spends his days building things and his nights driving away raccoons.

Originally Published: Monday, 6 August 2001	Author: S.A. Hayes
Published to: develop_articles/Development Articles	Page: 4/4 - [Printable]
Linux.com Interview: Brian Behlendorf Linux.com sits down with Brian Behlendorf, President of the Apache Software Foundation and CTO of CollabNet to talk about open source, the meaning of freedom, Richard Stallman and aliens from outside our solar system.

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The Future Linux.com: OK. Few last questions about the future. What do you see yourself doing ten years from now? Brian Behlendorf: < laughs> Well, so long as CollabNet stays interesting I might be there, I'm not the kind to just dive in, dive out. Yes, you introduced it as my current project but it is really much more than that. So long as it stays interesting for me and is something I feel that I'm making a difference doing, I could do it for the next ten years. If I weren't there? I don't know. I have kindof resolved that this is my last high tech. job, I'm probably not going to do another start-up but I won't rule it out conclusively. Linux.com: What else would you do? Brian Behlendorf: Well, I wouldn't necessarily start another business, I might do some combination of writing source code for fun, travel and, well, doing something with music. I've got a lot of different interests and many of those I've just had to shut down to focus on the business and on open source software, and I might like to pick them up again. Linux.com: What's your favorite kind of music? Brian Behlendorf: Electronica, ambient, dub. Linux.com: Moby? Brian Behlendorf: Uh, yeah, but, not as much as some others. The Orb is probably a better example that people might know. But really spooky electronic kind of music, that is nice. Linux.com: So, how old are you? Brian Behlendorf: I'm 28. Linux.com: And, do you think there is intelligent life on other planets? Brian Behlendorf: I think it is supreme hubris to think that there are not other forms of intelligence out there in the universe. Linux.com: Do you think that we will communicate with non earth-based life forms in the next 50 years and what do you think the most likely form of that communication will be? Brian Behlendorf: I don't think it will be within the next 50 years. Linux.com: I do. Brian Behlendorf: I would like to think that it is, but if you are asking me to wager, I'd like it to be but I don't think it will be that quick. I don't think it is local to our solar system. Unless there is Amoeba living in oceans on Europa or something, there might be primitive life forms on other planets or their moons, within our solar system, but I don't think there is intelligent life within our solar system. We won't be able to verify any out-of-the-solar-system communication until we get a response and the speed of light, to get a response, it takes so long that we'd never hear back. Linux.com: So even if we received what we thought was a message from an extraterrestrial intelligence we wouldn't really have communicated until we get a response? Brian Behlendorf: Right. I think we're going to have to wait until we travel faster than light. Linux.com: Cool. Well, thank you very much for talking with us at Linux.com. Brian Behlendorf: < laughs> My pleasure. About the author: SA Hayes is a writer, editor and tinkerer living in Northern California, for which he is grateful. When not working on computers Hayes spends his days building things and his nights driving away raccoons.
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