Different project structure, I think. You'll likely get told off by subsystem maintainers or even kernel janitors before that. If it gets to Linus, it must have been something unnerving.

This can be interpreted both ways, however. Where Linus will be more elusive, Theo will have no qualms with just barging in and telling you to read the source code, ivory tower be damned. Almost as if he sort of respects even newbies enough to slap some quick advice to their face.

A funny example is here: http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.os.openbsd.misc/212565