Linux inventor sets sights on Intel

Linus Tovalds, the Finnish inventor of Linux, the rival computer operating system to Microsoft's Windows, is gunning for the chip business of technology giant Intel.

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Torvalds has teamed up with financier George Soros and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen to develop a new chip called Crusoe.

The chip is named after Robinson Crusoe and is the brain child of Transmeta, a start-up company founded in Santa Clara, California. The company, founded by David Ditzel, was funded by Soros and Allen and was supported by two years of work by Torvalds.

It is not yet clear whether the chip will focus solely on wireless products, or also compete with Intel's Pentium processors on computer desktops.

Transmeta's website touts the chip as, "cool hardware and software for mobile applications. Crusoe will be unconventional".

Industry pundits say Transmeta may design the chip and not manufacture it. If successful it could finally enable Torvalds to make his fortune and rank amongst other technology millionnaires. He claims he has not made a penny from his Linux invention.