You just don't understand the mind of a typical Linux geek.
They don't do this for profit, for convenience, to be able to do stuff. It's the idea that counts, like climbing a mountain or eating most hamburgers in 5 minutes.
If he succeeds, he can go to slashdot org and post a story: "Look, I managed to port Linux to a hair dryer. Now my next goal is to port Linux to my wall clock", and he gains huge recognition from the crowds for pushing the limits even further :)