On that list should be AT&T'w lawsuit trying to destroy BSD unix thus motivating Linus to clone it.

I don't think that it had much impact on Linus' motivation himself, but it certainly had a huge motivation on many of the huge number of hackers who helped turn Linux from a toy kernel into an entire world class operating system

In more recent events, I would posit that Ubuntu's push for the desktop along with giving away free CDs (and free shipping) helped move desktop Linux into a more mainstream conversation.

I wonder if debian's systemd adoption could fit there.

the title said events that move linux forward

Haha, that's what I was waiting for. But sometimes seemingly aimless change is the basis of a good metamorphosis. Let's see.

I would vote to add Android to that list.

This article is actually about GNU/Linux.

>In the year 1991, the conducive conditions existed that would create Linux and start its spread. Linus in Helsinki had the kernel but no shell, libraries, or compiler. Stallman, in Boston had necessary programs that could be wrapped around an operating system.

Not to mention Apache (the first Killer App of Linux).