M. Torvalds never expressed an objection to auto-conversion. Xe expressed an objection to mass conversion, with patches that mass change function calls with little scrutiny and even less actual regression testing of all of the affected code paths. Because xyr past experience was that that was what happened in practice, and stuff broke as a consequence.
Who is M. Torvalds? I am not aware of anyone with first initial M. named Torvalds that is relevant to this discussion and would require such bizarre pronouns to be applied to them.
