# Andreas Grünbacher > co-maintainer of GNU patch and contributor to the Linux kernel **Wikidata**: [Q133698462](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133698462) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/andreas-grunbacher ## Summary Andreas Grünbacher is an Austrian computer scientist born on November 1, 1973, recognized for his contributions to open-source software and operating system kernels. He serves as the co-maintainer of GNU patch and is a contributor to the Linux kernel. Grünbacher is also known for developing the software tools Quilt and acl, and he is an active member of the GNU Project. ## Biography * **Born:** November 1, 1973 * **Nationality:** Austria * **Known for:** Co-maintaining GNU patch, contributing to the Linux kernel, and creating Quilt and acl. * **Field(s):** Computer Science * **Affiliation:** Member of the GNU Project * **Languages:** German, English ## Contributions Andreas Grünbacher has made significant contributions to the free software ecosystem through the development and maintenance of key utilities: * **GNU Patch:** He acts as the co-maintainer for GNU patch, a critical tool for updating text files with differences (diffs), which is fundamental to source code management. * **Linux Kernel:** Grünbacher is a contributor to the Linux kernel, the core component of the Linux operating system. * **Quilt:** He is the author of **Quilt**, a software utility designed to manage a series of patches to source code, facilitating the work of developers who need to track and apply multiple changes. * **ACL:** He developed **acl**, a package providing utilities for managing Access Control Lists, which are used to define more granular file permissions in Linux systems. * **Research:** His work includes the publication "Introduction to Quilt," which documents the utility's usage and functionality. ## FAQs **What specific open-source projects has Andreas Grünbacher worked on?** Andreas Grünbacher is the author of the **Quilt** patch management tool and the **acl** (Access Control List) utilities. Additionally, he serves as a co-maintainer for **GNU patch** and has contributed code to the **Linux kernel**. **What are Andreas Grünbacher's online handles and identifiers?** On GitHub, he uses the username `andreas-gruenbacher`, and on GitLab.com, he uses `agruenba`. He also maintains an account on GNU Savannah with the username `agruen`. His academic profiles include a DBLP author ID of `40/1211` and a Semantic Scholar author ID of `47704366`. **What is Andreas Grünbacher's professional background?** He is classified as a computer scientist and is an Austrian citizen. He is recognized as a human instance within the field of technology, specifically contributing to the industrial and service sectors through software development. ## Why They Matter Andreas Grünbacher plays a vital role in the infrastructure of modern software development through his work on patch management and file permissions. By co-maintaining **GNU patch**, he ensures the continued reliability of one of the most standard tools for applying source code updates, a process essential for software evolution and security updates. His creation of **Quilt** addressed a specific need for developers managing complex series of patches, streamlining workflows in large-scale projects. Furthermore, his work on **acl** (Access Control Lists) provided system administrators with the necessary tools to implement sophisticated security permissions on Linux systems, moving beyond basic user-group permissions to more complex authorization schemes. His contributions to the **Linux kernel** place him among the developers building the foundational layer of the internet and enterprise computing. ## Notable For * **Co-maintainer of GNU Patch:** Overseeing a core utility in the GNU operating system. * **Linux Kernel Contributor:** Direct participation in the development of the world's most widely used kernel. * **Creator of Quilt:** Developing a tool that has become a standard for managing patch stacks in open-source communities. * **Author of acl:** Providing essential utilities for file system security and permission management. * **Member of the GNU Project:** Formal affiliation with the Free Software Foundation's flagship project. ## Body ### Overview and Identity Andreas Grünbacher is a male computer scientist and Austrian citizen, born on November 1, 1973. He is also known by the aliases Andreas Gruenbacher and Andreas Grunbacher. He operates within the field of computer science, a discipline focused on the theoretical foundations of information and computation and the design of computational systems. As a professional in this sector, his work spans the industrial and service sectors, distinguishing him from computational scientists by focusing on the systems themselves rather than applying computation to other scientific disciplines. ### Open Source Software and Project Maintainership Grünbacher is a prominent member of the **GNU Project**. His most administrative role is serving as the **co-maintainer of GNU patch**. This tool is essential for the free software ecosystem, allowing users to apply differences (diffs) to original files to update them. Beyond maintenance, he is the creator and author of **Quilt**. This tool aids developers in managing a stack of patches to a source tree, allowing for easy application, un-application, and refreshment of patches. The project is hosted on GNU Savannah and has accompanying documentation, such as the publication "Introduction to Quilt." He is also credited with the creation of **acl** (Access Control Lists), software that provides tools for managing the ACLs associated with files. This work is critical for system security and user permission management within Unix-like operating systems. ### Kernel Development In addition to user-space utilities, Grünbacher contributes directly to the **Linux kernel**. This involves low-level programming that ensures the stability and functionality of the operating system's core. ### Academic and Research Presence Grünbacher has a documented academic footprint. He holds the **DBLP author ID** `40/1211` and a **Semantic Scholar author ID** `47704366`. His work has been indexed on ResearchGate under IDs `8112521` and `2041354921`, where his publication "Introduction to Quilt" is cited. He speaks and writes in both German and English. ### Digital Footprint His development activities are tracked across several platforms: * **GitHub:** Username `andreas-gruenbacher` * **GitLab.com:** Username `agruenba` * **GNU Savannah:** Username `agruen` (Profile link: `https://savannah.gnu.org/users/agruen`) His work and identity are formally recognized in bibliographic and knowledge systems, including the German National Library (GND) and the Library of Congress, denoting his status as a recognized professional and author in the field of computer science. ## References 1. [GNU's Who](https://www.gnu.org/people/people.html#a) 2. [Source](https://git.savannah.nongnu.org/cgit/quilt.git/tree/AUTHORS) 3. [Source](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238701679_Introduction_to_Quilt)