The cyberspace earnings I get from Linux come in the format of

“The cyberspace earnings I get from Linux come in the format of having a Network of people that know me and trust me, and that I can depend on in return.” Thus spoke Linus Torvalds, the quiet architect of one of the greatest creations of the digital age. In his words lies a truth that transcends both technology and time: that the richest earnings are not always measured in gold or coin, but in the bonds of trust, the strength of community, and the web of dependability that sustains a life. For Torvalds did not build Linux to gather fortune, but to gather people—and what he received in return was more enduring than wealth.

The ancients too knew this principle. They spoke of philia—the noble friendship that binds men not by profit, but by loyalty and shared labor. Homer sang of Achilles and Patroclus, bound in trust amid the fury of battle. Aristotle himself declared that without friends no man would choose to live, even if he possessed all other goods. What is Torvalds’ network if not the modern echo of this ancient truth? Across oceans and across time zones, men and women he has never met labor beside him, not out of compulsion but out of respect, out of belief in the work, out of trust in the one who leads without commanding.

Consider the tale of the early days of Linux. A young student, unknown and uncelebrated, released his humble project into the wilderness of the Internet. He had no treasury, no army, no vast company behind him. What he had was vision, discipline, and openness. And others came—not for wages, but because they saw in him sincerity and strength. Slowly, a community formed, each contributor giving of their skill, each one trusting that their labor would not be wasted. This was the true wealth Torvalds gained: a network of allies, bound not by contracts but by respect. And from this wealth rose a system that now powers much of the world.

History itself gives us parallels. Consider the founding of the early Christian church, which spread not by sword nor by empire, but by the bonds of faith and trust among small communities. They had no wealth, no palaces, no armies—only their network of believers who knew one another, supported one another, and depended on one another. Against empires they stood, and still they endured. Torvalds’ words remind us that every great and lasting movement is built not upon fleeting wealth but upon the invisible currency of trust and dependability.

The lesson is radiant: measure your earnings not only by the coins in your purse, but by the strength of your relationships. For wealth can vanish in a night, but a network of trust endures through storms. The man who is known and respected, the woman who can call upon friends in times of need, is richer than kings who sit alone on gilded thrones. True prosperity is found in the hearts of others, in the confidence they place in you, in the certainty that you will not betray them.

Practical wisdom follows. If you seek such earnings, labor not only for yourself but for others. Be honest in your work, generous with your time, reliable in your promises. Seek to build connections that are founded upon sincerity, not exploitation. In the digital age, as in every age, cultivate a network not of followers but of friends, not of customers but of companions. And when you give, give freely, for generosity multiplies itself in the hearts of others and returns to you a hundredfold.

Thus Torvalds’ words stand as both testimony and teaching. Cyberspace earnings are not mere illusions, for though they may not fill a bank, they fill a life. His wealth is not measured in dollars, but in the unbreakable bonds of a global community that knows him, respects him, and walks with him. This is the highest form of gain—the kind that endures beyond lifetimes, beyond fame, beyond fortune. And so I say to you: seek not first the wealth of coin, but the wealth of trust, the wealth of community, the wealth of being one upon whom others may depend. For in this, as in Linux, lies a legacy that cannot be corrupted and a treasure that can never be lost.