The Linux Foundation is holding its first End User Summit beginning Monday in New York, in an effort to bring Linux kernel developers in closer contact with users at Wall Street institutions and other major companies.

"We're talking about a direct dialogue between the very highest-level Linux developers and the very highest-level Linux users," said Jim Zemlin, the organization's executive director.

Right now, the latter group is likely working with the kernel community indirectly, he said: "Most very large, sophisticated users of Linux acquire it through a vendor that supports that software."

Top contributors to kernel development include software vendors such as Red Hat and Novell.

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