Moreover, Mr. Torvalds made the case that open-source software projects like Linux - where code is shared and openly published for all to see - provide more visibility and accountability than the more closed realm of traditional propriety software, where source code is a closely guarded trade secret. So, he added, if there are intellectual property transgressions, they are easier to track.

"Me, I prefer the open approach," Mr. Torvalds explained. "Does it guarantee that everybody is honest? No. But it, fundamentally, makes it much more likely that people are honest, and the transparency in the process also means that if dishonesty happens, you can go back and see what went on."

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