:Alan Cox (computer programmer)
{{short description|British computer programmer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2012}}
{{BLP more citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Alan Cox
| image = Alan Cox at FOSS_2007.jpg
| alma_mater = Swansea University Aberystwyth University
| caption = Cox at FOSS.IN/2005
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|7|22|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Solihull, England
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| nationality = British
| other_names = ac
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| occupation = Programmer
| boards =
| spouse = Telsa Gwynne (d. 2015) Tara Neale
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Alan Cox (born 22 July 1968) is a British computer programmer who has been a key figure in the development of Linux. He maintained the 2.2 branch of the Linux kernel and continues to be heavily involved in its development, an association that dates back to 1991. He lives in Swansea, Wales, where he lived with his wife Telsa Gwynne, who died in 2015,{{cite web|url=http://blog.jonasoberg.net/in-memory-of-telsa-gwynne/|title=In Memory of Telsa Gwynne|date=3 November 2015|access-date=3 November 2015|first=Jonas|last=Öberg|author-link=Jonas Öberg|archive-date=7 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407084331/http://blog.jonasoberg.net/in-memory-of-telsa-gwynne/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://puzzling.org/life/2015/11/remembering-telsa-gwynne/|title=Remembering Telsa Gwynne|first=Mary Elizebeth|last=Gardiner|author-link=Mary Gardiner|date=4 November 2015|access-date=4 November 2015|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212072115/https://puzzling.org/life/2015/11/remembering-telsa-gwynne/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gnome.org/news/2015/11/in-memory-of-telsa-gwynne/|title=In Memory of Telsa Gwynne|date=6 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015|work=GNOME website|quote=after living with cancer for a while she passed away this last Tuesday, 3 November 2015|archive-date=7 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307001909/https://www.gnome.org/news/2015/11/in-memory-of-telsa-gwynne/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://sesiwn.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/telsa-gwynne-1969-2015/|title=Telsa Gwynne (1969 – 2015)|date=4 November 2015|access-date=19 November 2015|first=Huw Dylan|last=Owen|work=Sesiwn yng Nghymru|format=Blog y Sesiwn|language=cy|archive-date=12 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212232425/https://sesiwn.wordpress.com/2015/11/04/telsa-gwynne-1969-2015/|url-status=live}} (English translation in comments.) and now lives with author Tara Neale,{{cite web|title=My Hero|url=https://homecrazzyhome.wordpress.com/2019/05/01/my-hero/|date=1 May 2019|access-date=26 August 2019|archive-date=26 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826222905/https://homecrazzyhome.wordpress.com/2019/05/01/my-hero/|url-status=live}} whom he married in 2020.{{cite web|title=My Wedding Day|url=https://homecrazzyhome.wordpress.com/2020/05/01/my-wedding-day/|date=1 May 2020|access-date=17 July 2020|archive-date=4 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004114132/https://homecrazzyhome.wordpress.com/2020/05/01/my-wedding-day/|url-status=live}} He graduated with a BSc in Computer Science from Swansea University in 1991 and received an MBA from the same university in 2005.{{cite web|url=http://www.swansea.ac.uk/graduation/honoraryawards/honoraryawardsarchive/honoraryawards2016/alancox/|title=Swansea University honours world class Linux computer programmer|access-date=19 May 2018|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923003028/https://www.swansea.ac.uk/graduation/honoraryawards/honoraryawardsarchive/honoraryawards2016/alancox/|url-status=dead}}
Involvement in the Linux kernel
While employed on the campus of Swansea University, Cox installed a very early version of Linux on one of the machines belonging to the university computer society.{{cite web|title=SUCS - History - Hardware|url=http://history.sucs.org/History/Hardware|date=1 Dec 2014|access-date=17 July 2020|archive-date=13 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213021811/http://history.sucs.org/History/Hardware|url-status=live}} This was one of the first Linux installations on a busy network and revealed many bugs in the networking code. Cox fixed many of these bugs and went on to rewrite much of the networking subsystem. He then became one of the main developers and maintainers of the whole kernel.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
He maintained the 2.2 branch, and his own versions of the 2.4 branch (signified by an "ac" in the version, for example 2.4.13-ac1). This branch was very stable and contained bugfixes that went directly into the vendor kernels.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
Cox was once commonly regarded as being the "second in command" after Linus Torvalds himself, before reducing his involvement with Linux to study for an MBA.{{Cite web |url=http://kerneltrap.org/node/759 |title=Linux: Alan Cox To Take One Year Sabbatical|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130111247/http://kerneltrap.org/node/759 |archive-date=30 January 2013 }}
On 28 July 2009, Cox quit his role as the TTY layer maintainer, after disagreement with Torvalds about the scope of work required to fix an error in that subsystem.{{Cite web |url=http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/07/29/1925224/Alan-Cox-Quits-As-Linux-TTY-Maintainer-mdash-Ive-Had-Enough |title=Linux: Alan Cox Quits As Linux TTY Maintainer — "I've Had Enough" |date=29 July 2009 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-date=14 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314162927/https://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/07/29/1925224/Alan-Cox-Quits-As-Linux-TTY-Maintainer-mdash-Ive-Had-Enough |url-status=live }}
Alan was employed by the Linux distributor Red Hat during 1999–2009.{{Cite web|url=https://lxer.com/module/newswire/view/114064/|title=LXer: Alan Cox: Moving on from Red Hat|website=lxer.com}} Starting from 2011 he was employed by Intel Corporation, but he left both Intel and Linux kernel development in January 2013{{cite web |last=McAllister |first=Neil |date=24 January 2013 |title=Kernel hacker Alan Cox quits Linux, Intel |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/24/alan_cox_quits_linux_development/ |access-date=23 September 2018 |website=The Register |archive-date=17 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190217065318/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/24/alan_cox_quits_linux_development/ |url-status=live }} to care full-time for his wife during a critical period of medical treatment, and returned to both later that year,{{cite web |last=Cox |first=Alan |title=I'm leaving the Linux world and Intel for a bit for family reasons |url=https://plus.google.com/111104121194250082892/posts/KW3TdRYwjr9 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130216041357/https://plus.google.com/111104121194250082892/posts/KW3TdRYwjr9 |archive-date=16 February 2013 |access-date=24 January 2013 |website=Google+}} until taking early retirement at the end of 2019.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}
He has also been involved in the GNOME and X.Org projects, and was the main developer of AberMUD, which he wrote whilst a student at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}
On 31 Oct 2014, Alan Cox announced Fuzix OS, a tiny system V kernel, initially for Z80, on Google+.{{cite web |last1=Cox |first1=Alan |title=Fed up of SystemD ? Kdbus the final straw ? Linux community too large and noisy ? |url=https://plus.google.com/+AlanCoxLinux/posts/a2jAP7Pz1gj |website=Google+ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129035553/https://plus.google.com/+AlanCoxLinux/posts/a2jAP7Pz1gj |archive-date=29 November 2014}}
Model trains
Alan Cox used to run Etched Pixels, a model train company that used to produce N gauge kits. However it suffered "a rather more sudden closure", as described by the message that is left on the company's website, caused by a rise in operational cost.{{cite web |title=Etched Pixels: N scale etched models and details |url=http://www.etchedpixels.co.uk/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111053301/http://www.etchedpixels.co.uk/ |access-date=29 July 2009|archive-date=11 January 2010 }}
Activism
Cox is an ardent supporter of programming freedom, and an outspoken opponent of software patents, the DMCA and the CBDTPA. He resigned from a subgroup of Usenix in protest, and said he would not visit the United States for fear of being imprisoned after the arrest of Dmitry Sklyarov for DMCA violations.
In January 2007, he applied for a series of patents on "RMS", or "rights management systems".{{Cite web |title=List of Alan Cox patents |url=http://www.freshpatents.com/Alan-Cox-Swansea-invdirc.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928143435/http://www.freshpatents.com/Alan-Cox-Swansea-invdirc.php |archive-date=28 September 2011 }} Red Hat Inc., Cox's former employer, has stated (in a document drafted by Mark Webbink and Cox himself){{cite video
|people=Webbink, Mark (Interviewee)
|date=8 November 2007
|title=Mark Webbink On: The Patent Promise
|url=http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2007/11/08/mark-webbink-on-the-patent-promise-2/
|format=Ogg Theora
|publisher=Red Hat Magazine
|access-date=23 December 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080111155645/http://truthhappens.redhatmagazine.com/2007/11/08/mark-webbink-on-the-patent-promise-2/| archive-date= 11 January 2008 | url-status= dead}} that it will not use patents against free software projects.{{cite web |url=http://www.redhat.com/legal/patent_policy.html |publisher=Red Hat |title=Statement of Position and Our Promise on Software Patents |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818144523/http://www.redhat.com/legal/patent_policy.html |archive-date=18 August 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}
Cox is also an adviser to the Foundation for Information Policy Research and the Open Rights Group.{{cite web |url=http://www.openrightsgroup.org/about-org/#Advisory |publisher=Open Rights Group |title=Board and Advisory Council |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603040946/http://www.openrightsgroup.org/about-org/#Advisory |archive-date=3 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}
Career and awards
Cox was the recipient of the Free Software Foundation's 2003 Award for the Advancement of Free Software at the FOSDEM conference in Brussels.{{cite web |url=https://www.gnu.org/award/2003/2003.html |publisher=Free Software Foundation |title=2003 Award For the Advancement of Free Software |access-date=23 August 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070819232212/https://www.gnu.org/award/2003/2003.html| archive-date= 19 August 2007 | url-status= live}}
On 5 October 2005, Cox received a lifetime achievement award at the LinuxWorld awards in London.{{cite news |title=Linux pioneer wins lifetime achievement award |author=Matt Loney |date=6 October 2005 |url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39226539,00.htm |publisher=ZDNet UK |access-date=23 August 2007 |archive-date=17 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071017062746/http://news.zdnet.co.uk/software/0,1000000121,39226539,00.htm |url-status=dead }}
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David Awarded Cox an Honorary Fellowship on 18 July 2013.{{cite web |last=Cox |first=Alan |title=They seem to have made me an honorary fellow, although in truth a little bit of this really belongs to everyone who I've worked with on patches, reporting bugs and making Linux great. Thats a lot of people! |url=https://plus.google.com/111104121194250082892/posts/CdzAqZEspbs |access-date=18 July 2013 |website=Google+|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326231322/https://plus.google.com/111104121194250082892/posts/CdzAqZEspbs |archive-date=26 March 2017 }}
He received an honorary doctorate from the Swansea University, his alma mater, on 20 July 2016.
References
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
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External links
{{Commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
- [http://www.softpanorama.org/People/Cox/index.shtml Alan Cox: The maintainer of production version of the Linux kernel]. Ch. 5 of ebook Open Source Pioneers, includes a lot of difficult to find interviews.
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050213233608/http://www.redhat.com/advice/ask_alancox.html Interview on his biography]
- [https://lwn.net/1999/features/ACInterview/ LWN interviews Alan Cox]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050114142428/http://kerneltrap.org/node/9 Interview with Alan Cox – 15 January 2002]
- [http://www.lugradio.org/episodes/24 LugRadio interview]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20081229064859/http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=15 Linux Format interview – August 2005]
- [http://slashdot.org/features/98/10/13/1423253.shtml Cathedrals, Bazaars and the Town Council – 1998-10-13]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070813234720/http://bigbro.skynet.ie/resources/ogg/AlanCox_UL_20060513.ogg Ogg audio recording of a talk in Limerick, Ireland 2006-05-13], and a [http://blogs.fsfe.org/ciaran/?p=44 transcript of an excerpt, about GPLv3]
- [http://www.linux-magazin.de/news/video_alan_cox_ueber_proprietaere_treiber_tainted_kernel_und_gplv3 Video interview with Alan Cox at Hannover Industry Trade Fair, Germany, May 2008]
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Category:Alumni of Aberystwyth University
Category:Alumni of Swansea University
Category:British computer programmers