Patrick Volkerding
The steadfast architect behind Slackware Linux, the oldest surviving Linux distribution, maintained through decades with a philosophy of simplicity and control.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American software engineer·Birthday: October 20·Generation X
Biography
In the early 1990s, as the internet began to hum with the promise of open-source software, Patrick Volkerding, a computer science student, started tinkering with a new operating system kernel called Linux. His personal project to simplify software installation evolved into Slackware, a distribution that prized stability, Unix-like purity, and user understanding over automated convenience. For over thirty years, Volkerding has been the project's sole maintainer, a 'Benevolent Dictator' who personally curates every package and update. This hands-on, principled approach has earned Slackware a cult following among purists, system administrators, and those who believe in knowing what their computer is doing. In an era of corporate Linux, Slackware stands as a monument to individual dedication and technical integrity.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Patrick was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Patrick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Patrick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created and has continuously maintained Slackware Linux since its first release in 1993.
- Built the longest-active Linux distribution, influencing countless developers and later distributions.
- Authored the definitive guide 'Slackware Linux Essentials,' which served as the primary documentation for the OS.
- Managed the entire distribution's development and package management system as a largely solo project for decades.
Did You Know?
The name 'Slackware' is derived from the Church of the SubGenius concept of 'Slack,' a state of freedom and independence.
He was originally a student at Minnesota State University Moorhead when he began developing Slackware.
Despite its minimalistic design, Slackware was one of the first distributions to support the X Window System and TCP/IP networking.
He holds the title 'Benevolent Dictator for Life' (BDFL) for the Slackware project.
“If it compiles, it is good; if it boots up, it is perfect.”
