I think the selection committee downplayed the importance of Linux a bit: "Today the estimated number of users is 30 million...".
According to ComScore, there's around 52 million Android users in the US alone. And then there's all the users of Linux-based websites...which is just about everyone who owns a computer.
In recognition of the unprejudiced creation of a new open source operating system leading to the largely exploited Linux kernel. The free availability on the Web swiftly caused a chain-reaction leading to further development and fine-tuning worth the equivalent of 73,000 man-years. Today the estimated number of users is 30 million. The achievement of Linus Torvalds has had a great impact on software development and on cultural and ethical issues of networking and openness of the Web.
According to ComScore, there's around 52 million Android users in the US alone. And then there's all the users of Linux-based websites...which is just about everyone who owns a computer.