Tux

Tux is the official mascot of the GNU/Linux operating system. Tux, created by Larry Ewing in 1996, is a chubby penguin that looks content and satisfied. The concept of the Linux mascot being a penguin came from Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel.

Tux was designed for a Linux logo contest. Pictures of some of the other contestants can be found at [http://www.cs.earlham.edu/~jeremiah/linux-pix/linux-logo.html The Linux Logo Competition site]. The winning logo was created by Larry Ewing using the GIMP (a free software graphics package) and was released by him under the following condition:

: Permission to use and/or modify this image is granted provided you acknowledge me and The GIMP if someone asks. [http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~lewing/linux/]

According to [http://www.linux.org.au/org/penguin.phtml]. Torvalds was looking for something fun and sympathetic to associate with Linux, and a slightly fat penguin sitting down after having had a great meal perfectly fit the bill.

Tux has become an icon for the Linux and Open Source community, with one British Linux user group adopting a penguin at Bristol Zoo. He is much more famous than his big friend, GNU, a peaceful and shy GNU that represents the GNU Project.

He is often dressed or portrayed differently, depending on context; for example, when representing the PaX security algorithm, he wears a helmet and brandishes an axe and shield, and his eyes are red.

Tux is the star of a Linux Computer and video games called Tux Racer, in which the user guides Tux down a variety of different icy hills on his belly, trying to catch herring and beat the time limit. User Friendly#Tux is also a character in the webcomic User Friendly.

In some Linux distributions, Tux greets the user during booting, with multi-processor systems displaying multiple tuxes.

It is sometimes claimed that the name was derived from Torvalds UniX, a name suggested by James Hughes, rather than the explanation that penguins look vaguely as if they are wearing a black tie.

TUX web server is also the name of Linux kernel-based web server.

=Tributes to Tux=

*Ted the penguin is a character in the popular Ctrl Alt Del (webcomic) webcomic. Ted, as the pet of the only Linux guru in the strip is clearly a tribute to Tux. *[http://mail.symuli.com/humor/tuxowulf.html Tuxowulf] is the hero of spoof epic poem of the similiar name (Beowulf).

=Video Games Starring Tux=

Numerous Computer and video games (mostly open source and/or for Linux) have been created starring Tux (or, generally, penguins):

BankiZ!

Black Penguin, a game similar to Q*Bert

ClanBomber

Defendguin

Fall (video game)

Freedroid RPG

Frozen Bubble, a popular puzzle game based on Puzzle Bobble

IceBreaker

Open Racer, a racing game based on Tux Racer

Penguin Bounce, a desktop toy

Pingus, a game similar to Lemmings (computer game)

PPRacer, another icy racing game

Slune, a political 3D racing game

SuperTux, a platform game similar to Super Mario Bros.

SuperTuxKart, a racing game based on TuxKart

TappyTux, a typing tutor

Tuxigloo, a game similar to ChuChu Rocket

TuxKart, a racing game

Tux-n-Run, another platform game

Tux, of Math Command, a math skills edutainment game

TuxMathScrabble, a math puzzle based on the word game Scrabble

Tux Paint, a drawing program for young children

Tux Picross, a picture puzzle

Tux the Penguin - A Quest for Herring, a 3D platform game similar to Mario 64

TuxPuck, a shuffleboard game

Tux Racer, a Racing game (see above)

TuxTyping, a typing tutor

Tux vs Clippy, a battle game pitting Tux against the Office Assistant

XPenguins, a desktop toy

XTux, a multiplayer Gauntlet (arcade game)-style game

=External links=

*[http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~lewing/linux/ Linux 2.0 Penguins] (Larry Ewing) *[http://www.sjbaker.org/tux/ A complete history of Tux] *[http://lwn.net/Gallery/ The LWN Penguin Gallery] *[http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,42209,00.html Wired News story on Tux] *[http://www.tuxgallery.org/ A Tux Gallery] *[http://tux.crystalxp.net A Big Everaldo Tux Gallery on Crystal XP] *[http://www.ao.com/~regan/penguins/tux.html The Gospel of Tux]