Benevolent Dictator For Life (BDFL) is a title applied to Guido van Rossum, the creator of the Python programming language. The term is based on a Monty Python sketch.. It contrasts with the title benevolent dictator which has been applied to other open-source leaders, such as Larry Wall or Linus Torvalds.
Mark Shuttleworth uses the acronym SABDFL, which stands for Self-Appointed Benevolent Dictator for Life, as his IRC nickname and the acronym is used in the Ubuntu community to refer to him.