Author of Many Linux RAID Drivers Died in Alaska Helicopter Crash
Last week, Slashdot reported that Leonard Zubkoff died in a helicopter crash near Ketchikan, Alaska. Zubkoff was the author of the Linux drivers for Mylex RAID controllers, key components in high performance hard disk subsystems. CTDATA has two of these RAID controllers, and one of our servers uses one of Zubkoff's drivers.
Since news reports of his death became available, many people in the Linux community have praised Zubkoff's work, and noted its breadth. It seems insensitive to say this, but, the community reaction to Zubkoff's death and the support that others provide for his contributions to the Linux kernel will have to be watched carefully. That response will be a measure of the resiliency of the Linux development process.