---
title: 'Matt Asay better than Fake Steve Jobs at faking Linus Torvalds'
date: '2009-09-22T10:46:29-07:00'
type: post
word_count: 270
char_count: 1875
tokens: 351
categories:
  - Contests
  - Events
  - Linux
  - OpenSource
  - Oregon
  - Portland
  - torvalds
tags:
  - 'dan lyons'
  - fake
  - 'linus torvalds'
  - LinuxCon
  - 'matt asay'
  - 'open source'
  - 'steve jobs'
---

# Matt Asay better than Fake Steve Jobs at faking Linus Torvalds

[LinuxCon](http://events.linuxfoundation.org/events/linuxcon "LinuxCon") is in full swing this week in Portland. And while there are tons of good open source conversations and likely some awesome hacking underway, there’s always a little bit of hi-jinx afoot, as well.

Given that it was the inaugural LinuxCon, some of that tomfoolery was planned. Specifically the “[Fake Linus Torvalds](http://siliconflorist.com/2009/08/28/fake-linus-torvalds-fake-steve-jobs-open/ "Fake Linus Torvalds: It's like Fake Steve Jobs only open")” contest. And as it turns out, in the end, the open source faker was better than the seasoned proprietary faker.

You see, there were [four unidentified fakers participating in the contest](http://www.crunchgear.com/2009/09/21/the-real-fake-linus-torvalds-has-been-selected/ "The real Fake Linus Torvalds has been selected"). And one of them happened to be one of the most famous tech fakers of them all, [Dan Lyons of Fake Steve Jobs](http://www.fakesteve.net/ "Dan Lyons Fake Steve Jobs") fame.

[Zonker Brockmeier](http://www.dissociatedpress.net/ "Dissociated Press") and [Jono Bacon](http://www.jonobacon.org/ "Jono Bacon") were also trying their hand at channeling the Linux’ founder.

But it was [Fake Linus Torvalds #2](http://twitpic.com/imunm "Fake Linus Torvalds #2 with the silver penguin")—[open source journalist](http://www.cnet.com/openroad "Open Road") [Matt Asay](http://twitter.com/Mjasay "Matt Asay on Twitter")—whom provided the most convincing Torvalds repertoire.

His prize? The coveted silver penguin. And the adoration of the Linux crowd

[LinuxCon](http://events.linuxfoundation.org/events/linuxcon "LinuxCon") continues through tomorrow. [Linux Plumbers Conference](http://linuxplumbersconf.org/ "Linux Plumbers Conference") begins Wednesday.

\[HTML1\]