Intel, one of the world's largest computer hardware companies, is now also among the biggest contributors to open-source software.
The chipmaker was the largest corporate sponsor of new contributions to the Linux computer operating system, according to a report Wednesday morning from the Linux Foundation. It's the first time Intel has held the top spot, previously occupied by dedicated software companies.
Linux plays a central role in computers embedded inside communications networks and industrial equipment, key Intel markets. And Intel has adapted the Linux-based Android operating system, designed to run on chips from ARM Holdings, to function in Intel processors, too.
Software is also key to developing new markets where Intel hopes its chips will find a home, such as wearable computing, connected appliances and mobile technologies.
So Intel employs several thousand software developers, many of them in Hillsboro, who help build new features into Linux and help steer the operating system's course. The chipmaker's software group is run by one of its top Oregon executives, Doug Fisher, who serves on the Linux Foundation's board.
Linux was created by a computer programmer named Linus Torvalds, who moved to Oregon in 2004 and continues to oversee additions to the Linux "kernel" from his home in Dunthorpe. Torvalds has a close relationship with Intel.
The Linux Foundation, a nonprofit formed to coordinate Linux's development and support Torvalds' work, reported that Intel employees contributed more than 10,000 changes to the Linux kernel last year.
That's 10.5 percent of the total, topping last year's leader, dedicated Linux specialist Red Hat, which had 9,500. Other leaders include the not-for-profit open source developer Linaro, South Korean electronics giant Samsung, and IBM, which has a large Linux group in Washington County.
| Top Linux sponsors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Company | Changes | Total |
| Intel | 10108 | 10.5% |
| Red Hat | 8078 | 8.4% |
| Linaro | 5415 | 5.6% |
| Samsung | 4290 | 4.4% |
| Unknown | 3842 | 4.0% |
| IBM | 3081 | 3.2% |
| SUSE | 2890 | 3.0% |
| Consultants | 2451 | 2.5% |
| Texas Instruments | 2269 | 2.4% |
| Vision Engraving Systems | 2089 | 2.2% |
| 2048 | 2.1% | |
| Renesas Electronics | 2004 | 2.1% |
| Freescale | 1690 | 1.8% |
| Free Electrons | 1463 | 1.5% |
| FOSS Outreach Program for Women | 1418 | 1.5% |
| Oracle | 1166 | 1.2% |
| AMD | 1109 | 1.1% |
| Nvidia | 1078 | 1.1% |
| Broadcom | 1001 | 1.0% |
| Huawei Technologies | 971 | 1.0% |
| ARM | 788 | 0.8% |
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