The Open Source Development Labs (OSDL) was a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 to promote Linux and accelerate its adoption in enterprise computing. In 2007, OSDL merged with the Free Standards Group to form the Linux Foundation.
Mission
OSDL was created by a consortium of technology companies to provide a neutral forum for advancing Linux development and adoption. The lab provided:
- Computing resources for kernel testing and development
- Legal and technical infrastructure for the Linux community
- A neutral ground for competing companies to collaborate
Linus Torvalds Fellowship
In 2003, OSDL made a significant move by hiring Linus Torvalds as a fellow. This allowed Torvalds to work full-time on Linux kernel development without commercial pressures from any single vendor.
The fellowship model ensured that Linux’s creator could focus entirely on the kernel’s technical direction while being compensated through a neutral, community-focused organization. Torvalds continued this arrangement when OSDL became the Linux Foundation.
Corporate Sponsors
OSDL was backed by major technology companies including:
- IBM
- Hewlett-Packard
- Intel
- Computer Associates
- NEC
This corporate sponsorship demonstrated the industry’s commitment to Linux as a shared infrastructure platform.
Legacy
OSDL’s model of industry collaboration around open-source infrastructure pioneered an approach now common in the tech industry. Its successor, the Linux Foundation, continues to host critical open-source projects including Linux, Kubernetes, Node.js, and many others.