{"id":413005,"date":"2022-03-07T15:00:04","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/"},"modified":"2022-03-07T15:00:04","modified_gmt":"2022-03-07T12:00:04","slug":"why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why Is the Linux Mascot a Penguin?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af248858ee06\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af248858ee06\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/#%E2%80%9CWhy_Is_the_Linux_Mascot_a_Penguin%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Why Is the Linux Mascot a Penguin?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/#Linus_Torvalds_Loves_Penguins\" >Linus Torvalds Loves Penguins<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/#How_Tux_Took_Shape\" >How Tux Took Shape<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-is-the-linux-mascot-a-penguin\/#The_Penguin_Legend_Continues\" >The Penguin Legend Continues<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CWhy_Is_the_Linux_Mascot_a_Penguin%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Why Is the Linux Mascot a Penguin?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage size-full wp-image-788784\" data-pagespeed-lazy-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tux_upclose_hero_1.jpg?width=398&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 400w, https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tux_upclose_hero_1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tux_upclose_hero_1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Linux Penguin Mascot Tux up close\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Larry Ewing and The GIMP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019re a fan of Linux, you might have seen \u201cTux,\u201d the friendly penguin mascot for the operating system. But why a penguin, and why Tux? We\u2019ll explore the history behind the semi-aquatic bird mascot with a little help from Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux himself.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Linus_Torvalds_Loves_Penguins\"><\/span>Linus Torvalds Loves Penguins<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Unlike commercial operating systems backed by many million-dollar marketing campaigns, early versions of Linux didn\u2019t have any formal branding. Linux started as a hobbyist project by Finnish university student Linus Torvalds in 1991, and a group of volunteers around the world developed and maintained it in its early years. So when developing Linux\u2019s public image, its developers went about it in a very informal way: by discussing it on the Linux-Kernel group email list.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, one person\u2019s voice\u2014Torvalds\u2014carried much more weight than the others, and that voice loved a certain type of animal. In the early 1990s, Torvalds often playfully referenced penguins on the mailing list. What was his attraction to the birds as a potential logo?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPenguins are simply just exotic enough to be interesting, but well-known enough to not be obscure,\u201d Torvalds told How-To Geek in an email.<\/p>\n<p>In particular, Torvalds\u2019s love of penguins slipped into legend after a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linuxjournal.com\/article\/36\">1995 interview<\/a> with Linux Journal, where Torvalds mentioned being bitten by a penguin while visiting a zoo in Australia.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe most interesting parts of Australia weren\u2019t computers at all, but the small and furry (and sometimes feathered) animals there. I got bitten by a penguin in Canberra (Killer Penguins Strike Again), but it was a very small and timid one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The penguin bite only seemed to accelerate Torvalds\u2019 playful interest in the birds. On April 29, 1996, Torvalds <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9604.3\/0618.html\">announced<\/a> the 1.3.97 release of the Linux kernel and jokingly called it the \u201cKiller Penguin\u201d release.<\/p>\n<p>But still, Torvalds says the penguin bite episode was not the primary source of Tux: \u201cI liked penguins before too,\u201d Torvalds told How-To Geek. \u201cIt\u2019s true that I was bitten by (a very timid) penguin at Australia National Zoo, but I think one of the sources of inspiration\u2014and probably a more important one\u2014was Aardman Studios.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Tux_Took_Shape\"><\/span>How Tux Took Shape<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>By early 1996, the idea of an official logo for Linux had been floating around for years. People had made <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/pub\/Linux\/logos\/raytraced\/\">many mock-ups<\/a> and fancy, ray-traced \u201cLinux\u201d letters with the graphics <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a> available at the time\u2014and someone even tried to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/pub\/Linux\/logos\/platypus\/!INDEX.html\">bring a platypus<\/a> into the mix.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-789138 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/final_tux_ewing.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"The final 1996 Tux created by Larry Ewing.\" width=\"650\" height=\"350\" data-credittext=\"Larry Ewing and The GIMP\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The final 1996 Tux created by Larry Ewing. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Larry Ewing and The GIMP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On May 1, 1996, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.indiana.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.0\/0119.html\">someone<\/a> on the Linux-Kernel mailing list shared\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/pub\/Linux\/logos\/raytraced\/lin64.jpg\">yet another image<\/a> of a potential Linux logo, and in response, Linux contributor Alan Cox <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.indiana.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.0\/0237.html\">asked<\/a> for an image of a penguin\u2014a reference to Torvalds\u2019 obsession\u2014in boxing gloves punching out the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/BSD_Daemon\">BSD Daemon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Shortly after that, Torvalds <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.0\/0499.html\">provided<\/a> the email list with an image of a claymation penguin created by Aardman Animations, the studio behind <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wallace_and_Gromit\">Wallace and Gromit<\/a>. \u201c[Aardman] had a couple of claymation penguins (e.g. \u2018The Wrong Trousers,\u2019)\u201d Torvalds tells How-To Geek. \u201cAlthough that penguin was less of a \u2018h<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>y penguin in repose after eating a lot of herring,\u2019 and more of a Bond-movie supervillain penguin.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-789125 size-full\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tux_ideas.jpg?trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"Image of an early Tux from Larry Ewing and and Aardman Animations penguin that inspired the final Tux\" width=\"650\" height=\"452\" data-credittext=\"Larry Ewing, Aardman Animations\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The original pugilist Tux by artist Larry Ewing (left) contrasted with the playful Aardman Animations penguin favored by Linus Torvalds (right). <span class=\"imagecredit\">Larry Ewing, Aardman Animations<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Programmer Larry Ewing (who worked on The GIMP graphics editor project) took up the original challenge from Cox and drew a penguin in boxing gloves. Others submitted penguin artwork as well. Torvalds offered <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.1\/0109.html\">constructive feedback<\/a> on the attempts at penguin drawings made by others so far, recommending a new approach with a gentler, contented penguin \u201cstuffed to its brim with herring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ewing went back to the drawing board. After a multi-step <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/19990209005021\/http:\/\/www.isc.tamu.edu\/%7Elewing\/linux\/older.html\">process<\/a> refined over time in the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/GIMP\">GIMP<\/a> image editor\u2014from a black and white sketch to a colorful illustration with shading\u2014Ewing <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/19971011083355\/http:\/\/isc.tamu.edu\/~lewing\/linux\/\">developed<\/a> what we now think of as the archetypal \u201cTux\u201d penguin. It met Torvalds\u2019 criteria of a plump, non-aggressive, contented animal\u2014and the image stuck.<\/p>\n<p>Tux got its name from James Hughes on June 10, 1996, when he <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9606.1\/0175.html\">wrote<\/a> on the Linux-Kernel mailing list that it stood for \u201c(T)orvolds (U)ni(X).\u201d Tux, often short for \u201ctuxedo,\u201d is also a reference to the fact that some species penguins look like they\u2019re wearing tuxedos because of their feather coloration.<\/p>\n<p>Not everyone loved the penguin. Some on the mailing list <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.1\/0523.html\">were unhappy<\/a> with the animal choice (\u201cPlease, anything but penguins,\u201d) and someone else <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lkml.iu.edu\/hypermail\/linux\/kernel\/9605.1\/0819.html\">mentioned<\/a> that the \u201cPenguin\u201d name was taken by an unrelated utility. But Torvalds\u2019 voice and playful influence won out, and over time, Ewing\u2019s refined drawing became the official image of Tux, the mascot of Linux.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Penguin_Legend_Continues\"><\/span>The Penguin Legend Continues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Since the 1990s, the lore of Tux (and Torvads\u2019 penguin zoo encounter) have only grown. By 2007, the zoo in Canberra where Torvalds was first nibbled by a penguin had <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.citizendium.org\/wiki\/File:Tux_Canberra_Zoo.jpg\">erected a sign<\/a> commemorating the episode, mentioning \u201cIt is our belief that the origin Tux is still housed in this enclosure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, Torvalds says that, canonically, Tux isn\u2019t a real penguin at all. \u201cThe Linux penguin is not exactly anatomically correct,\u201d he told us. \u201cIt\u2019s very much a plush toy kind of thing (and in fact, people ended up making plush toys based on it, and not just for Linux conferences).\u201d This might be why people send him plush penguins all the time, as illustrated in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=h-NGegOZ3nQ\">this YouTube video<\/a>.<\/p>\n<lite-youtube videoid=\"h-NGegOZ3nQ\" style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/h-NGegOZ3nQ\/hqdefault.jpg');\">\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"lty-playbtn\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"lyt-visually-hidden\">Play Video<\/span><br \/>\n<\/button>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n<p>In a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20060507115127\/http:\/\/www.linux.org.au\/linux\/tux\">mid-2000s email<\/a> that gets frequently quoted online, Torvalds said, \u201cDon\u2019t take the penguin too seriously. It\u2019s supposed to be kind of goofy and fun, that\u2019s the whole point.\u201d He went on to say that Linux is supposed to be goofy and fun as well. He wanted to make sure that Linux didn\u2019t take itself too seriously.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted a happy cuddly logo, not a corporate one,\u201d Torvalds says today. \u201cAnd I think the penguin worked really well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. 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But why a penguin, and why Tux? We\u2019ll explore the history behind the semi-aquatic bird mascot with a little help from Linus Torvalds, the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":413006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tux_upclose_hero_1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-413005","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413005","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=413005"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/413005\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/413006"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=413005"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=413005"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=413005"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}