Linux's symbol shouldn't be a penguin...

[Legendary_Bibo]

It just doesn't signify freedom enough. Maybe we could make it a McDonald's supersized order of french fries (aka freedom fries) so that it's like when someone tries out Linux they'll understand the analogy of the taste of freedom they're experiencing.

[krapp]

the taste of freedom they're experiencing.

Cholesterol?

I rather like the penguin. And the gnu. The BSD daemon I don't know. The Darwin platypus is cute. And the OpenBSD abomination (blowfish?) . . . ew.

[jerenept]

Cholesterol?

I rather like the penguin. And the Gnu. The BSD daemon I don't know. The Darwin platypus is cute. And the OpenBSD abomination . . . ewwwww

It's a blowfish..... like the encryption?

[Dustin2128]

I like the penguin, personally. Do you have any symbols in mind that aren't ponies or fast food?

[Thewhistlingwind]

I like the penguin, personally. Do you have any symbols in mind that aren't ponies or fast food?

This, I remember a quote somewhere around here by linus about penguins and 100+ MPH running speeds. Too bad it's slipping my mind. :popcorn:

EDIT: Linus is from finland dude, he won't go for that one bit, any of that.
EDIT2: Plus, the penguin isn't pretentious

[pi3.1415926535...]

This, I remember a quote somewhere around here by linus about penguins and 100+ MPH running speeds. Too bad it's slipping my mind. :popcorn:

EDIT: Linus is from finland dude, he won't go for that one bit, any of that.
EDIT2: Plus, the penguin isn't pretentious

Linus Torvalds: "Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100 mph …"

[Copper Bezel]

that aren't ponies

Damn, harder than I thought.

Wait, I've got it! Techy, a bit nerdy, but friendly, maybe a....

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17749392/Screenshots/linuxlogo.png

[/troll]

[radar920]

I'm not a fan of the penguin myself, but i'm relatively new to this linux thing so i'll just keep my mouth shut.

[Legendary_Bibo]

Uhh... no. No. Just- No. NO!

How about a dolphin or a whale?

[Dustin2128]

How about a dolphin or a whale?
Eh, still like the penguin personally. But wouldn't some type of bird symbolise freedom? (Penguin!)

[Legendary_Bibo]

Eh, still like the penguin personally. But wouldn't some type of bird symbolise freedom? (Penguin!)

Or a pegasus.

[Thewhistlingwind]

Or a pegasus.

Gryffin > Pegasus

Seriously though, the penguin is fine. (I like it, a lot, personally.)

EDIT: Let me put it this way, I want a tux plushie, not necessarily so one for a different animal.

[hhh]

From: Linus Torvalds
.
Ok, short version:
I've always liked penguins, and when I was in Canberra a few years
ago we went to the local zoo with Andrew Tridgell (of samba fame). There
they had a ferocious penguin that bit me and infected me with a little
known disease called penguinitis. Penguinitis makes you stay awake at
nights just thinking about penguins and feeling great love towards them.
So when Linux needed a mascot, the first thing that came into my mind
was this picture of the majestic penguin, and the rest is history.
.
Slightly more accurate version:
.
Yes, I was bitten by a penguin, but it wasn't actually very
ferocious. It was really just a pigmy penguin about 6 inches tall or
something, and it was more of a timid nibble ("is this finger a see
before me a small fish, or what?"). Even so, I like penguins a lot.
.
More down-to-earth version:

All the other logos were too boring - I wasn't looking for the
"Linux Corporate Image", I was looking for something _fun_ and
sympathetic to associate with Linux. A slightly fat penguin that sits
down after having had a great meal fits the bill perfectly.
.
Final comment:

Don't take the penguin too seriously. It's supposed to be kind of
goofy and fun, that's the whole point. Linux is supposed to be goofy
and fun (it's also the best operating system out there, but it's goofy
and fun at the same time!).

re: Linux logo
linus torvalds (torvalds@xx.helsinki.xx)
sun, 12 may 1996 09:39:19 +0300 (eet dst)
.
Umm.. You don't have any gap to fill in.
.
"linus likes penguins". That's it. There was even a headline on it in
some linux journal some time ago (i was bitten by a killer penguin in
australia - i'm not kidding). Penguins are fun.
.
As to why use a penguin as a logo? No good reason, really. But a logo
doesn't really ave to _mean_ anything - it's the association that counts.
And i can think of many worse things than have linux being associated
with penguins.
.
Having a penguin as a logo also gives more freedom to people wanting to
use linux-related material: Instead of being firmly fixed with a specific
logo (the triangle, or just "linux 2.0" or some other abstract thing),
using something like a penguin gives people the chance to make
modifications that are still recognizable.
.
So you can have a real live penguin on a cd cover, for example, and
people will get the association. Or you can have a penguin that does
something specific (a penguin writing on wordperfect for the wp linux cd,
whatever - you get the idea).
.
Compare that to a more abstract logo (like the windows logo - it's not a
bad logo in itself). You can't really do anything with a logo like that.
It just "is".
.
Anyway, go to "http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~lewing/linux/" for some nice examples..
.
Linus

Source...
http://www.sjbaker.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_History_of_Tux_the_Linux_Pengu in

More info...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux

[ilovelinux33467]

I like the penguin.

[ctrlmd]

McDonald's oO

actually it should be a penguin since they live together as a group which represent the community

[Legendary_Bibo]

McDonald's oO

It is the greatest symbol of America freedom.

[hhh]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17749392/Screenshots/linuxlogo.png
http://ompldr.org/vOGo1OA
FTFY

[hhh]

McDonald's oOIt is the greatest symbol of America freedom.

http://ompldr.org/vOGo1ZQ
kbai
http://ompldr.org/vOGo1Zg

[undecim]

It just doesn't signify freedom enough. Maybe we could make it a McDonald's supersized order of french fries (aka freedom fries) so that it's like when someone tries out Linux they'll understand the analogy of the taste of freedom they're experiencing.

Anyone else reminded of the "Linux is Overweight/Bloated" debate?

[andymorton]

We can't get rid of Tux!

[Copper Bezel]

I don't necessarily like the fat penguin, but he's certainly a symbol of freedom I can believe in without too much cognitive dissonace.

Any Dropbox users ever looked at the icon for an OpenDocument file through the web-based file viewer? I almost regret never having to actually use the website; this is one of the reasons I love Dropbox.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17749392/Screenshots/linuxlogo2.png

[el_koraco]

Hell no! Tux is the greatest!

[yetiman64]

Linux's symbol shouldn't be a penguin...Whaaaa... ?!


<snip>

Sure hope that is a "tongue in cheek (http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/tongue-in-cheek.html)" suggestion :popcorn:


Uhh... no. No. Just- No. NO!

++++..... to infinity.


Tux forever :P.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
There ya go, I rose to the bait. Good fishin' in these waters eh? :lol:

[Nerotriple6]

Linus Torvalds: "Some people have told me they don't think a fat penguin really embodies the grace of Linux, which just tells me they have never seen an angry penguin charging at them in excess of 100 mph …"

ROFL :D :lolflag:

Penguins are cool. :cool:

[3Miro]

GNU is more about the whole freedom thing than Linux. Linux's penguin is fine, just that the gnu should have been a soaring eagle or a roaring lion or something like that. The gnu cartoon is cool, but it is still just cattle.

[krapp]

GNU is more about the whole freedom thing than Linux. Linux's penguin is fine, just that the gnu should have been a soaring eagle or a roaring lion or something like that. The gnu cartoon is cool, but it is still just cattle.

It was meant to be unorthodox. A received symbol such as the American eagle would have gone totally against the aims of the FSF.

One compromise is Super Gnu:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i168/excrementusrex/300px-Gnu-and-penguin-color.png

[sydbat]

It just doesn't signify freedom enough. Maybe we could make it a McDonald's supersized order of french fries (aka freedom fries) so that it's like when someone tries out Linux they'll understand the analogy of the taste of freedom they're experiencing.I likes my Penguin Fries.


GNU is more about the whole freedom thing than Linux. Linux's penguin is fine, just that the gnu should have been a soaring eagle or a roaring lion or something like that. The gnu cartoon is cool, but it is still just cattle.


It was meant to be unorthodox. A received symbol such as the American eagle would have gone totally against the aims of the FSF.

One compromise is Super Gnu:

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i168/excrementusrex/300px-Gnu-and-penguin-color.pnghttp://bsaidso.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/facepalm_picard2.jpg?w=360&h=240

[ZarathustraDK]

I could get used to this...



Bring back the OS-tans!

PS. sorry for big picture, it was the smallest version I could find ;)

[Fourcultures]

If anyone here thinks they can do better at designing a logo for Linux, there's a t-shirt competition open till the 30th May 2011
http://www.linux.com/tshirt-design-contest

I like Tux because it's an Australian penguin and that has to be good. But it looks very 'unprofessional' compared with most corporate logos. In some ways this is a good thing - Tux makes Linux look a bit like the amateur enterprise it is (amateur as in true lover or enthusiast). But this implicit critique of professional gloss might be a bad thing in certain circumstances - for example when trying to persuade a business that Linux really is the OS that's stable and well supported, not just an OS cooked up by a bunch of hobbyists.

According to a post by designer Jacob Cass (http://justcreativedesign.com/2009/07/27/what-makes-a-good-logo/), a good logo needs to be simple, memorable, timeless, versatile and appropriate. Tux scores well on all these except, perhaps, the last. What does a penguin have to do with a computer? Not a lot. But perhaps it can benefit from a perception of inappropriateness.

Beyond that there's something quite fundamental about graphic design involved here. Most logos are made out of very basic shapes - the Pepsi circle, the Ford oval, the Microsoft square, the Apple circle, the Christian cross, the YouTube rectangle, the Nike tick.

And the Linux triangle.

Yes, seen from a distance, Tux is just a triangle, and that in itself may be enough to distinguish Linux from some other brands with non-triangle logos.

Ultimately, though, it may be that Linux doesn't really need a logo, any more than bread does or Buddhism does or pet dogs do. These are all cultural artefacts that people love and align themselves with. Like Linux, but unlike Apple, Nike, Coke etc, they aren't brands so much as contributions to civilisation. The hard sell is hardly necessary.

[BrokenKingpin]

Do not be hating on Tux... not cool.

[HoKaze]

Even if changing the logo was a good idea (which I'd have to say it isn't, despite the points addressed against Tux I'd say the guy still makes a fine mascot) I think Tux is too deeply tied to Linux to be worth changing at this point. Minor changes to the design have been going on for ages with different icons and art styles but when push comes to shove the iconic version has always been those tied closest to the original design.
Tux represents Linux, remains better than any other logo idea I've seen and has a long history. To kill the penguin off now would be madness.

Also, I too am hoping that all this messing about with these Americanisms is just that: messing around and harmless jokes. Speaking of which, if we were to change the Linux logo away from Tux, I suggest we adopt a kangaroo dressed as a gentleman with a cup of tea in the middle of a snowstorm.

[Spice Weasel]

I suggest we adopt a kangaroo dressed as a gentleman with a cup of tea in the middle of a snowstorm.

Someone call up the LF. WE HAVE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

[Legendary_Bibo]

I could get used to this...



Bring back the OS-tans!

PS. sorry for big picture, it was the smallest version I could find ;)

No. Just..no.

[wojox]

It should be:

http://fixit.com.mx/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/im_linux1.jpg

[Random_Dude]

I like tux, especially the 2nd revision:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/Tux-G2.svg/386px-Tux-G2.svg.png

[sffvba[e0rt]

Tux is forever... resistance is futile...


404

[Simian Man]

I like tux, especially the 2nd revision:

That is NOT the official Tux. Personally I think that version is horribly cutesy and makes me think of bad kids TV shows. This is the official Tux, there is no "2nd revision".

http://www.markus-gattol.name/misc/mm/si/content/tux.jpg

[Random_Dude]

That is NOT the official Tux.


Never said it was.
In wikipedia they call this tux variant "2nd revision": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tux
I like the look, nothing wrong with looking "cutesy".

As for the animal itself, the penguin is my favorite bird (followed by parrots and ostriches), so I hope they keep it.

Cheers :cool:

[llua+]

if its posted on wikipedia it must be true.

[Spice Weasel]

Boot up a kernel with the logo compile-time option turned on. If you're using Arch you'll get the Arch logo, but if you are using a kernel from kernel.org you will get this dude:

http://www.markus-gattol.name/misc/mm/si/content/tux.jpg

Just smaller with a white glow around him. I think this is the only official logo for the kernel.

The "crystal" Tux looks like it has a slight mental disorder. Look at the eyes.

[Random_Dude]

if its posted on wikipedia it must be true.

Just called it 2nd revision because it was the only name I found to describe that variant.
Do you know the "official" name for that variant?

[forrestcupp]

Linux has been around for 20 years and Tux has been its symbol for 15 of those years. Using a penguin was Linus's idea. Good luck getting rid of Tux. It's not going to happen.

[reyfer]

What's wrong with Tux? And I really hope the idea of the American flag was a joke, because no matter how much I may like the USA, I'm getting sick of the idea of "americanization" of everything....especially an OS started by a Finnish, developed by people from ALL OVER the world

[jerenept]

What's wrong with Tux? And I really hope the idea of the American flag was a joke, because no matter how much I may like the USA, I'm getting sick of the idea of "americanization" of everything....especially an OS started by a Finnish, developed by people from ALL OVER the world



/misses the point of this thread

hmm....

[S2UIRR3L]

I'm cool with the penguin. It's an uncommon bird. My idea of a penguin is this: Birds that don't fly, such as an emu or a penguin have come so far, going against evolution who says that if you're a bird, you must fly. It's sort of like the restrictions with Microsoft and Macintosh saying that you need one of them to fly, but the Linux users are like penguins who say:

SCREW YOU - I DON'T NEED YOU - HA HA HAAA!!! (evil laugh with a thunder clap and lightning in the background)

As far as changing over to something like an emu because IT doesn't fly either... Penguins are just cuter (winks).

EDIT: Forgot to mention... My favorite animal is a squirrel, but I like Tux the penguin to remain as the LINUX OS (even tho there are some species of squirrel who fly, and the majority of them just leap from tree to tree lol)!!!

[cgroza]

I like the penguin. It has style!

[cgroza]

Because Linux is an American invention yes?
Linus Torvalds is not an American.

[yetiman64]

<deleted> no offense meant to anyone.


This is a worldwide effort here, let's not get out of hand and say something that may offend some of us Americans. I will do the same for you and your country, your flag, etc.
Thanks.
Cheers to all.

[jramshu]

I like the penguin, it stands out from the rest. Most people I run into don't remember Linux until I mention the penguin.

This is a worldwide effort here, let's not get out of hand and say something that may offend some of us Americans. I will do the same for you and your country, your flag, etc.
Thanks.

jramshu
Veteran
U.S. Army
3rd Infantry Division, Europe

[jramshu]

I like the android pengiun that hhh made. I need that as my splash screen, or background on my EVO 4G. That would be great, love it. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hhh]

...a symbol ironically manufactured in France, the country whose language was replaced with the word "Freedom" when followed by "Fries," despite French Fries originating in Belgium...
Thankfully, the jackass who started that crap, Representative Robert W. Ney (R-Ohio), ended up resigning from office as he was about to be expelled from office due to his many scandals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ney#Controversies). Karma's a bitch, dawg.

But back to the penguin being inappropriate for Linux, let me re-post Linus Torvalds' quote that I posted earlier...

Don't take the penguin too seriously. It's supposed to be kind of
goofy and fun, that's the whole point. Linux is supposed to be goofy
and fun (it's also the best operating system out there, but it's goofy
and fun at the same time!).
http://ompldr.org/vOGpvMw

[hhh]

I like the android pengiun that hhh made.
Woah, I didn't create that. Find him and hundreds more here...
http://tux.crystalxp.net/en.id.20669-p@sco-androtux.html

[jramshu]

Sorry hhh. I like the android penguin you posted. I didn't mean to take credit from the creator. I'll have to check out the link. It is good though, glad you put it up there. Got a kick out of it. My brother will really like it too.

Thanks.

[forrestcupp]

Linus Torvalds is not an American.

Yes he is. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He's not originally an American, but he has lived here for 14 years.

[aaaantoine]

It should be:

http://fixit.com.mx/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/im_linux1.jpg

There isn't a "Like" button big enough for this post.

[ben2talk]

I've always liked penguins, and when I was in Canberra a few years
ago we went to the local zoo with Andrew Tridgell (of samba fame). There they had a ferocious penguin that bit me and infected me with a little known disease called penguinitis. Penguinitis makes you stay awake at nights just thinking about penguins and feeling great love towards them.

So when Linux needed a mascot, the first thing that came into my mind was this picture of the majestic penguin, and the rest is history.
.
Slightly more accurate version:
.
Yes, I was bitten by a penguin, but it wasn't actually very
ferocious. It was really just a pigmy penguin about 6 inches tall or something, and it was more of a timid nibble ("is this finger a see before me a small fish, or what?"). Even so, I like penguins a lot.
.
More down-to-earth version:

All the other logos were too boring - I wasn't looking for the
"Linux Corporate Image", I was looking for something _fun_ and
sympathetic to associate with Linux. A slightly fat penguin that sits down after having had a great meal fits the bill perfectly.
.
Final comment:

Don't take the penguin too seriously. It's supposed to be kind of
goofy and fun, that's the whole point. Linux is supposed to be goofy and fun (it's also the best operating system out there, but it's goofy and fun at the same time!).

Argue with Linus about this - it's really not up to you.

[NCLI]

Yes he is. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He's not originally an American, but he has lived here for 14 years.
Still doesn't make him an American ;)

[_outlawed_]

ponies

Ponies with rainbow colored hair, mind you.

[forrestcupp]

Still doesn't make him an American ;)

No, but the fact that he became an American citizen last year (http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/linus-torvalds-becomes-american-citizen) makes him an American. ;)

He said this in 2008:

Yeah, yeah, we should probably have done the citizenship thing a long time ago, since we've been here long enough (and two of the kids are US citizens by virtue of being born here)

...

We've been in the US for over a decade, and it's definitely "home", and we like living here. But being an alien means that you can't vote, and seeing all the news being about the presidential election (and all the streets here locally littered with signs about the local school bond) tends to remind you about that issue.

Then in September last year, he mentioned this on the mailing list:

I'll test that myself (but in a bit - I need to go do voter registration and socsec update first, though - I became a US citizen last week).

[mutantstargoat]

There's always this guy

http://ubuntuforums.org/picture.php?albumid=2279&pictureid=7765

[Rasa1111]

Uhh... no. No. Just- No. NO!

Ok, So perhaps Dustin approached it better than I did.... lol
damn... :KS for you bro. ;lol

@ forrest, i am an "american"..
relax. lol

[HappinessNow]

EDIT: Linus is from finland dude, he won't go for that one bit, any of that.


from Finland Linus may be but he lives in Beaverton, Oregon USA now ;-)

A new animal might be nice I envision the Echidna mystic; from the "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" movie, shouting "It twas foretold!"

[HappinessNow]

Yes he is. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He's not originally an American, but he has lived here for 14 years.

Correction, technically he lives in Beaverton, Oregon NOT Portland but Beaverton is in the Portland Metropolitan Statistical area but it is much different from Portland.

[HappinessNow]

No, but the fact that he became an American citizen last year (http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/linus-torvalds-becomes-american-citizen) makes him an American. ;)
Now I didn't know that Linus formally became an American, that's awesome for him perhaps a new Linux mascot is in order something that symbolizes the American culture like an American Buffalo or an American Bald Eagle?...or since he lives in Beaverton, Oregon a Beaver would be nice ;)

[sydbat]

Now I didn't know that Linus formally became an American, that's awesome for him perhaps a new Linux mascot is in order something that symbolizes the American culture like an American Buffalo or an American Bald Eagle?...or since he lives in Beaverton, Oregon a Beaver would be nice ;)Dude, the beaver is a Canadian symbol.

Also, the penguin is not a national symbol. The Antarctic belongs to no single country...instead, it belongs to the whole world. Now do you understand the meaning behind the penguin?

[HappinessNow]

Dude, the beaver is a Canadian symbol. The beaver is also an Oregon symbol it's on the back of the Oregon flag and before Oregon joined the union it was on their currency as well.


Also, the penguin is not a national symbol. The Antarctic belongs to no single country...instead, it belongs to the whole world. Now do you understand the meaning behind the penguin?Actually the Jackass Penguin resides in South Africa.

Penguins are not exclusive to the Antarctic

[NCLI]

No, but the fact that he became an American citizen last year (http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/linus-torvalds-becomes-american-citizen) makes him an American. ;)

He said this in 2008:


Then in September last year, he mentioned this on the mailing list:
This may be personal opinion, but I'd say that the country that has the most influence on you is the one you spent the first ~20 years of your life in. Citizenship doesn't matter to me. I am an American and Danish citizen, and I'd like to spend the rest of my life in Japan(Spoiler: I probably won't), but I'm definitely Danish.

[Legendary_Bibo]

Ponies with rainbow colored hair, mind you.

Her name is Rainbow Dash, mind you.

[bapoumba]

I have removed the last post. Please keep the conversation away from politics. I'll read the thread over and remove other posts. Do not be surprised.

[wojox]

I have removed the last post. Please keep the conversation away from politics. I'll read the thread over and remove other posts. Do not be surprised.

My post is Chuck Norris Approved. :P :P :P

[ctrlmd]

I have removed the last post. Please keep the conversation away from politics. I'll read the thread over and remove other posts. Do not be surprised.

don't worry i won't but i would post it again if anyone still talk about politics and hes comment haven't removed

thanks

[bapoumba]

Heavy duty cleaning. Flags and other side (or should I say up front?) suggestions.

Now that I'm here, I might comment as well.
Remember that rebranding of a famous clothes company? They could not have their new logo accepted and had to go back to the original one. Or may be that was just a marketing plan, I do not know.
My point is, it might be very difficult to change Tux, as this image is now very linked to Linux, and has been for a long time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/magazine/31fob-consumed-t.html

[3Miro]

Didn't KFC change the name some time ago. They used to be Kentucky Fried Chicken with acronym KFC, but then they changed to just KFC without any meaning. They wanted to drop the Kentucky from the name.

In Eastern Europe, there was a company making chocolate candy, calling it "Catherina" and selling it to several countries. Then they were wondering why is it that they are successful only in Russia.

Using a nation/region specific symbol may be good for marketing in that specific nation/region, but it will not be very good if you go to another. Not to mention that people contributing to Linux are from all nations and regions, if you pick one, people form the others will feel neglected. The penguin is somewhat neutral, since most penguins are in neutral Antarctica and the few countries that have native penguins don't use them as national symbols (or at least I am not aware of it).

Other than a penguin, you need nation/region independent symbols. Another animal? Why would it be better than Tux. Inanimate object? Sun (probably taken) or stars or mountains have lesser appeal than living things. The last option is some colorful calligraphy of the name. It would be boring as it will not allow the variations of Tux (Dart Tux, Kill Bill Tux, Pirate Tux ...) and calligraphy is definitely not as cute.

[cgroza]

Yes he is. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He's not originally an American, but he has lived here for 14 years.
He was borned in Finland, he may be an American citizen now but he's DNA is not American.

[cgroza]

No, but the fact that he became an American citizen last year (http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/linus-torvalds-becomes-american-citizen) makes him an American. ;)

He said this in 2008:


Then in September last year, he mentioned this on the mailing list:
So he was not an Ameriacn when he started Linux.:popcorn:

[Drenriza]

What have Tux ever done you :(

How cruel to pick on somebody who is smaller then yourself. Tux ftw.

[giddyup306]

It just doesn't signify freedom enough. Maybe we could make it a McDonald's supersized order of french fries (aka freedom fries) so that it's like when someone tries out Linux they'll understand the analogy of the taste of freedom they're experiencing.


Or an even better parallel is that just like way too much salt on the fries, Linux will give you high blood pressure, and possibly a stroke. Arch and Gentoo definitely need the fry mascot.

[TacticalApe]

I already identify Tux with Linux, so I wouldn't want it to change. And the same thing goes for many other people. If you didn't use Tux to represent Linux and the symbol changed all of the sudden, people wouldn't know what you're talking about when you put the new symbol up instead of Tux.

[Legendary_Bibo]

Or an even better parallel is that just like way too much salt on the fries, Linux will give you high blood pressure, and possibly a stroke. Arch and Gentoo definitely need the fry mascot.

Nah for Gentoo I'd suggest some old dude in a black leather gimp outfit.

[giddyup306]

Nah for Gentoo I'd suggest some old dude in a black leather gimp outfit.


Nah, that's the mascot for Detuxx. I tried to find a link, but it's either no longer available, or I'm not spelling it right.

[DoFlooterMoose]

I like Tux because it's an Australian penguin and that has to be good. But it looks very 'unprofessional' compared with most corporate logos. In some ways this is a good thing - Tux makes Linux look a bit like the amateur enterprise it is (amateur as in true lover or enthusiast). But this implicit critique of professional gloss might be a bad thing in certain circumstances - for example when trying to persuade a business that Linux really is the OS that's stable and well supported, not just an OS cooked up by a bunch of hobbyists.





But isn't Windows a Boxy four color flag? And Mac an apple with a bite out of it? I personally think Tux is a better symbol than those. I dont see anything wrong with penguin for a logo. specially with all the different designs and styles people make it. I guess its all in how you look at it.

[Johnsie]

Linus didn't develop the whole of the Linux ecosystem, only a small part of it. To associate Linux with a particular country would be offensive to all the programmers worldwide who have contributed to the Linux ecosystem. Execessive nationalism is disgusting and causes alot of problems. Linux is better than that.

They do need to redesign a non-cheesy logo, but it should never be anything to do with one particular nationalistic view.

[HappinessNow]

I think the Blue Whale would be a better mascot and more neutral

[wojox]

He was borned in Finland, he may be an American citizen now but he's DNA is not American.

Really, DNA has nationalities? So if the Crime Scene Investigators are collecting samples at the scene of a crime and run it through their databases but come back with nothing, do they go to their superiors and say "Well Captain, we haven't any hits in the database. But we know for certain the perp is from Finland." :P

[3Miro]

Really, DNA has nationalities? So if the Crime Scene Investigators are collecting samples at the scene of a crime and run it through their databases but come back with nothing, do they go to their superiors and say "Well Captain, we haven't any hits in the database. But we know for certain the perp is from Finland." :P

We do carry our ancestry in our DNA. You can identify Slavic, Anglo-Saxon or Nordic. The problem is that such information isn't very useful as peoples are getting more and more mixed, especially in USA.

[forrestcupp]

Didn't KFC change the name some time ago. They used to be Kentucky Fried Chicken with acronym KFC, but then they changed to just KFC without any meaning. They wanted to drop the Kentucky from the name.Right. I ate at one in Kentucky with a Kentuckian back when they had the old name. He asked me what they call them in Indiana. :)


He was borned in Finland, he may be an American citizen now but he's DNA is not American.The U.S. is the great "Melting Pot". All DNA can be American. ;)


So he was not an Ameriacn when he started Linux.:popcorn::lol: You win this one. :D

But there's always next time! Muhahaha :twisted:

[thinkingmachine]

I think the penguin is a really good symbol for Linux.

The odd bird, sort of like the Linux OS.

Used by corporations, it remains outside of corporate control.
A tool used by capitalists that exists because of coordinated collaboration.
Cutting edge technology based on a system from the 70's.
etc...

Plus penguins have that slightly proper look that is silly at the same time.

[krapp]

Plus penguins have that slightly proper look that is silly at the same time.

Good stuff.

[Oxwivi]

Eh, still like the penguin personally. But wouldn't some type of bird symbolise freedom? (Penguin!)
Eh? Penguin don't fly! (Isn't flying the all-time great analogy of freedom?)

[krapp]

Behold, Elephantux

NEVERMIND THEY DISABLED MY HOTLINKING.

[Oxwivi]

I think the Blue Whale would be a better mascot and more neutral
I like blue whale, but it's gotta represent something bloated. Blue whale is huge but it only get nutrition from tiny planktons in the ocean. It doesn't eat even the smallest of fishes - heck, it's got no teeth!

[Thewhistlingwind]

I think the penguin is a really good symbol for Linux.

The odd bird, sort of like the Linux OS.

Used by corporations, it remains outside of corporate control.
A tool used by capitalists that exists because of coordinated collaboration.
Cutting edge technology based on a system from the 70's.
etc...

Plus penguins have that slightly proper look that is silly at the same time.

Besides, it fits, and it's customisable, unlike the windows and mac logos. (Of which I always thought both looked stupid.)

EDIT: Tux is also a very likeable character, and to me felt very friendly as a logo when I looked up linux for the first time on wikipedia.

[ve4cib]

I think perhaps a distinction between "logo" and "mascot" might be worthwhile. It's like a sports team: you've got the logo you stamp on your uniforms, and you've got the cartoony character dancing on the sidelines for the crowd.

Tux is a mascot. Sadly Linux does not have a cross-distro logo, so Tux has been pressed into doing double-duty. I don't know what a good, sports-team logo would be for Linux as a whole though. And by this point the Tux mascot-turned-logo has been widely used for long enough that it's not worth changing.

I mean, look at IBM's "Peace, Love, Linux" adverts from years ago:

http://www.creatingcustomerevangelists.com/images/peace-love-linux.GIF

If a company as large as IBM uses that as its logo you can tell that it's gained traction. And without any single governing body that controls Linux it's up to the community as a whole to adopt something different. But until that happens Tux will remain the de facto logo for Linux.

Conveniently though, each distro has its own logo. They're maybe not as widely-used as the penguin, but they work too. A few samples of those for people who may not have seen them...

http://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/debian_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/gentoo_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/fedora_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/ubuntu_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/arch_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/linux_mint_logo.png

[hhh]

What have Tux ever done you :(

How cruel to pick on somebody who is smaller then yourself. Tux ftw.
1 person likes this.

[alaukikyo]

I think perhaps a distinction between "logo" and "mascot" might be worthwhile. It's like a sports team: you've got the logo you stamp on your uniforms, and you've got the cartoony character dancing on the sidelines for the crowd.

Tux is a mascot. Sadly Linux does not have a cross-distro logo, so Tux has been pressed into doing double-duty. I don't know what a good, sports-team logo would be for Linux as a whole though. And by this point the Tux mascot-turned-logo has been widely used for long enough that it's not worth changing.

I mean, look at IBM's "Peace, Love, Linux" adverts from years ago:

http://www.creatingcustomerevangelists.com/images/peace-love-linux.GIF

If a company as large as IBM uses that as its logo you can tell that it's gained traction. And without any single governing body that controls Linux it's up to the community as a whole to adopt something different. But until that happens Tux will remain the de facto logo for Linux.

Conveniently though, each distro has its own logo. They're maybe not as widely-used as the penguin, but they work too. A few samples of those for people who may not have seen them...

http://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/debian_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/gentoo_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/fedora_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/ubuntu_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/arch_logo.pnghttp://calibre-ebook.com/site_media//img/linux_mint_logo.png

that ubuntu logo is old

heres the new http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VY-XKFIIf04/TZdLYqJ2h5I/AAAAAAAABIM/dN2n6Vn9Ha0/s1600/ubuntu-new-logo.jpg

[Gremlinzzz]

Tux thought you heard! this video will explain why Tux.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWa4hY3LmaA&feature=fvsr

[koenn]

So he was not an Ameriacn when he started Linux.:popcorn:

all this talk about Linux being "American" reminded me of an other thread here, a while back.

And especcially this post :

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=10035680&postcount=5

[EnGorDiaz]

It just doesn't signify freedom enough. Maybe we could make it a McDonald's supersized order of french fries (aka freedom fries) so that it's like when someone tries out Linux they'll understand the analogy of the taste of freedom they're experiencing.

you are deffinately a troll

[cgroza]

all this talk about Linux being "American" reminded me of an other thread here, a while back.

And especcially this post :

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=10035680&postcount=5
Linux was created by thousands of people from many different nations. That post is selfish.

[HappinessNow]

Eh? Penguin don't fly! (Isn't flying the all-time great analogy of freedom?)

You obviously have never seen this Penguin documentary: http://goo.gl/de9LT


I like blue whale, but it's gotta represent something bloated. Blue whale is huge but it only get nutrition from tiny planktons in the ocean. It doesn't eat even the smallest of fishes - heck, it's got no teeth!
glad you like the blue whale idea :P

[bapoumba]

I've removed a couple more posts.

Next time, unlike penguins, infractions will fly.

[giddyup306]

How cruel to pick on somebody who is smaller then yourself. Tux ftw.


Hey now Tux can hold his own!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9_DQjQbtTY

[Random_Dude]

Hey now Tux can hold his own!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9_DQjQbtTY

He was lucky.

[yetiman64]

He was lucky.

From my unfortunate experiences, that was to be expected, the vid caught me unaware though...BSOD...lucky Tux alright :lol:. Thanks for that one giddyup306. =D>

[giddyup306]

From my unfortunate experiences, that was to be expected, the vid caught me unaware though...BSOD...lucky Tux alright :lol:. Thanks for that one giddyup306. =D>
I was expecting something along the lines of "where have you been, I saw that back when I had dial-up".

I've posted that video at least a half a dozen times. Still makes me laugh.

Not quite as good, but by the same guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpOlcm-X9cc&feature=related

[HappinessNow]

Also, the penguin is not a national symbol. The Antarctic belongs to no single country...instead, it belongs to the whole world. Now do you understand the meaning behind the penguin?



Actually the Jackass Penguin resides in South Africa.

Penguins are not exclusive to the Antarctic

Beyond the Jackass Penguins that live in South Africa, penguins live on every continent and not all in cold climates: for example: the Galapagos Penguin (& the Jackass Penguin).


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-405JB9Xh_Ig/TcUwxS6D3tI/AAAAAAAABxk/BBuAansXZQc/s1600/penguins+%25281%2529.pnghttp://goo.gl/WOX3J

(please note the following is not meant to be about politics but just a quick illustration of how the Antarctica does not technically belong to the Whole World)

Now a bit about the Antarctica:

While the Antarctica has no government, various countries claim sovereignty in certain regions. A few of these countries have mutually recognised each other's claims, even if the validity of these claims are not recognized by all countries of the world; they do exist. So the Antarctica is still a divided continent by the various countries that claim sovereignty in certain regions.

The Antarctic Treaty System was only signed by twelve countries NOT the "whole world", thus you have a system mandated by a dozen countries that dictate to the world what should be accepted.

At best you could say that the Antarctica does not belong to the whole world but that the Antarctica belongs to nobody; unfortunately this isn't completely true as long as countries continue to claim sovereignty over certain regions.


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBBvVWtVXdY/TcU3QjjtaPI/AAAAAAAABxo/zt8-1kxJL8k/s1600/antarctic.pnghttp://goo.gl/H08Ag

As much as you may want to embed deeper meaning into the Penguin being the Linux mascot it really is just some random creature, picked at random that has come to be accepted by frequent use over time. There is NO deeper meaning behind the penguin to understand.

I still hold true that the Blue Whale or some other sea creature would be more neutral and more appropriate; perhaps even the Goblin Shark:

Goblin Shark video (http://goo.gl/S8w5a)

The Goblin Shark would be enough to scare the hell out of the others!

...but on second thought the Ninja Penguin is pretty cool!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9MUIWJex0_k/TcU8J8jp7SI/AAAAAAAABxs/g7_7XaKj03k/s1600/NinjaPenguin.gif

[forrestcupp]

He was lucky.

No luck involved here. His full name is Tux Norris.

[NCLI]

I think perhaps a distinction between "logo" and "mascot" might be worthwhile. It's like a sports team: you've got the logo you stamp on your uniforms, and you've got the cartoony character dancing on the sidelines for the crowd.

Tux is a mascot. Sadly Linux does not have a cross-distro logo, so Tux has been pressed into doing double-duty. I don't know what a good, sports-team logo would be for Linux as a whole though. And by this point the Tux mascot-turned-logo has been widely used for long enough that it's not worth changing.

I mean, look at IBM's "Peace, Love, Linux" adverts from years ago:

http://www.creatingcustomerevangelists.com/images/peace-love-linux.GIF

If a company as large as IBM uses that as its logo you can tell that it's gained traction. And without any single governing body that controls Linux it's up to the community as a whole to adopt something different. But until that happens Tux will remain the de facto logo for Linux.
Linux does actually have a governing body, the Linux Foundation. If they change the logo, the logo will probably change.

[Not unique]

A penguin is cool, definatly needs a revamp though but I don't know about some of these
191457

[sffvba[e0rt]

I don't get the whole whale idea... why?!


404

[odiseo77]

Long live Tux!

[HappinessNow]

I don't get the whole whale idea... why?!


404The Blue Whale is the largest Mammal on Earth and international waters are essential politically neutral no one can lay claim on them

[sffvba[e0rt]

The Blue Whale is the largest Mammal on Earth and international waters are essential politically neutral no one can lay claim on them

:confused:


404

[HappinessNow]

:confused:


404...if not a Blue Whale then how about the Goblin Shark? or a pangolin?

[kitsuneclem]

Gryffin > Pegasus

Seriously though, the penguin is fine. (I like it, a lot, personally.)

EDIT: Let me put it this way, I want a tux plushie, not necessarily so one for a different animal.
i have a tux Stuffy if I had a cord for My digi camera I'd show you :)

[kitsuneclem]

...if not a Blue Whale then how about the Goblin Shark? or a pangolin?
mayhaps it should be the great turnip thow must never forget the Great turnip
For when THe great turnip came to earth in 1983 the world became a better place if only for the few seconds it was around when it realized earth people ate vegetables

No but seriously Tux is fine,
Did you know Penguins can swim faster then just about anything? True story

[sffvba[e0rt]

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSSawppRYTtjQAg-CJzUjXvISj92KCsap1l-GwWnS6sabu_W-pjfsA7tnLp


404

[kitsuneclem]

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSSawppRYTtjQAg-CJzUjXvISj92KCsap1l-GwWnS6sabu_W-pjfsA7tnLp


404
Its a MUX half mole Half Tux

[hhh]

Did you know Penguins can swim faster then just about anything? True story
False, and not even close.

[sffvba[e0rt]

Its a MUX half mole Half Tux

http://apcmag.com/australian-marsupials-get-stellar-billing-in-the-linux-community.htm


404

[Thewhistlingwind]

Did you know Penguins can swim faster then just about anything? True story

No. Gentoos can swim faster then the others though. :popcorn:

[kitsuneclem]

False, and not even close.
things penguins can swim faster then, Rocks, Turnips, Turkeys, People with other people on them, Chuck noris, Chuck Noris's beard, Me, A can of Pop, a pidgin.
there for Penguins can swim faster then just about anything

[jerenept]

No. Gentoos can swim faster then the others though. :popcorn:

Personally, my favorite penguin is the Sabayon, which is the Gentoo penguin crossed with good design and user experience.