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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Linus Torvalds received the 2010 NEC C&C Prize for creating the Linux kernel and promoting open-source operating-system development. The award’s official citation, presented at a Tokyo ceremony on November 24, 2010, credits both the technical work behind Linux and the broader development of open-source operating systems.
What the NEC C&C Prize recognized
The NEC C&C Foundation’s citation for Torvalds was: “For the creation of Linux kernel and the promotion of open-source operating system development.” In other words, the award recognized two linked contributions: creating the Linux kernel and encouraging an approach to operating-system development in which source code is open to be used and improved.
The Linux Foundation announced the honor on October 20, 2010. Its announcement described Torvalds as Linux’s creator and said he developed Linux in 1991 while a student at the University of Helsinki. It framed the prize as recognition of contributions to “the advancement of the information technology industry, education, research, and the improvement of our lives.” Read the Linux Foundation’s announcement.
When Torvalds received the award
Torvalds was the Group B recipient of the 2010 NEC C&C Prize. The ceremony took place in Tokyo on November 24, 2010. The event also honored Group A recipients Dr. Hiroyuki Sakaki and Dr. Yasuhiko Arakawa for pioneering research on quantum-wire and quantum-dot semiconductors. See the NEC C&C Foundation’s ceremony record.
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What the C&C Prize is
Established in 1985, the NEC C&C Prize honors outstanding research and development or pioneering work in semiconductors, computers, telecommunications, and integrated technologies. The Foundation says no more than two groups are normally awarded each year. Its current awards description lists a certificate, plaque, and 10,000,000 yen for each group; that is the Foundation’s current stated award package, not a confirmed 2010 payment amount. See the Foundation’s awards description.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why this recognition matters
The citation is notable for pairing Linux kernel creation with the promotion of open-source operating-system development. It therefore describes Torvalds’s contribution not only as a technical creation, but also in terms of a development model. The ceremony’s separate Group A recognition for semiconductor research also places the Linux honor within a broader technology prize spanning computing and related fields.
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