What's the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of Linux? If it is a cherubic, rotund penguin, you're referring to Tux, the current age iconic brand identifier of Linux.
But did you know, it was a good five years before Linux got a penguin for a brand ambassador? The story behind how the famous mascot was born and how the Linux penguin name came to be, makes for some interesting trivia, especially if you're a fan of the open-source kernel and its lineage.
Birth of the Linux Logo
Written by Linus Torvalds in 1991, Linux was an open-source, component-driven kernel before becoming a base for thousands of derived distributions. The community of developers saw promise in a freely-licensed Unix alternative and improved Linux by contributing to the project.
The story dates back to a particularly memorable trip to Australia in '93, wherein a fairy penguin bit Torvalds in a zoo. Known to most casual Linux users simply as the Linux penguin, Tux was born in 1996, when developer Alan Cox shared a cartoon design he made of a penguin image that Torvalds found online.
Cox's caricature focused on the lovable penguin features after taking inspiration from the claymation feature, Creature Comforts. Tux has retained its puppy-dog round eyes that instantly draw new users' curiosity and appreciation for cuteness.
The ample belly immediately caught Torvalds attention, who wanted a brand logo that would not intimidate patrons. The penguin was preferred over a series of foxes, hawks, sharks, and eagles suggested by others on various brainstorming forums.
The final version of Tux that we now know is based on a design by Larry Ewing. The creator had designed a digital portrait of the penguin using the Linux staple, GIMP drawing software, for a Linux logo design competition.
However, the final decision went for Tux's name, coined by James Hughes. It was an abbreviation for Torvalds Unix.
Tux Through the Years
Linux is just four years shy of 40 years of age, as of today. Tux gave Linux an extensible engagement factor in merchandising and brand imagery, that even Microsoft's Windows logo and Apple's Mac systems lack.
For the better part of those decades, Tux has been Linux's face. Its open-source licensing allowed software developers targeting Linux to incorporate the iconography without paying to borrow the art. Hence, Tux matured into a brand mascot beyond a mere logo.
The penguin logo has inspired a litany of variations over the years while featuring in video games and commercials. You will be stunned to find out where some of these variants ended up.
- The smallest known representation of Tux is only 130 microns in size. It exists on the pad ring of a microprocessor IC.
- NASA's use of the Open-Source Initiative, OpenAPI, ham radio, and Linux distros have been documented and acknowledged a few years ago.
- NASA also joined hands with the Linux Conference to launch a Tux-shaped hot air balloon into space on January 18, 2011. The high altitude balloon titled Project Horus 14, flew 30-40km into the sky. An auction of the signed feat photo raised over $23,000 AUD for flood relief.
Tux has featured in numerous games like SuperTux, Tux Paint, SuperTuxKart, Tux Racer, Tux Math Scrabble, and more. Gown accompanies Tux, his well-known female counterpart.
In SuperTux and SuperTuxKart, Gown features Penny, yet another female variant of Tux. Tux 2 and Freeciv featured Trixi and Tuxette, two more female variants of Tux.
Tux has alternative revisions as Tux Crystal and the more Viking-friendly PaX Tux. Even Windows enthusiasts enjoy Tux Linux penguin wallpapers, theme packs, icon sets, etc.
Learn Linux to Truly Appreciate Open-Source
Linux, just like its logo, is a piece of art. From vibrant colors and bold themes to easy-to-use facilities, there is a little evolution in every bit. From choosing the right distro to installing a desktop, Linux leaves you spoilt for choice at each step.
If you like customizing your desktop to make it more attractive, you're in luck. You can download several eye-catching distros that are eye-candy for Linux users.
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