Andrew Morton, one of the key Linux kernel developers, was hired by Google. Andrew confesses that "it is beneficial to me (and to Linux) that I be in day-to-day contact with people who use Linux for real things. Hence Google is a good all-round fit."
"We are pleased to confirm that Andrew Morton has joined Google as a member of our Linux development team. Andrew joins Google from the OSDL and has an unparalleled background in Linux and open source development. Andrew will continue his fine work on the Linux kernel and with organizations like OSDL. We are thrilled to welcome him to Google," says Google Open Source Program Manager, Chris DiBona.
Google servers run customized versions of Linux, mostly Red Hat Linux and Ubuntu, and use a lot of open-source software, so Andrew's role will be important.
Google has a lot of famous employees, including Vint Cerf, the co-creator of the TCP/IP protocols and Guido van Rossum, the creator of Python.