A certain logo is chosen to convey a brand image and service philosophy, usually for fairly complex reasons. But in many cases, certain “symbols” also express things that are very important for starting a business, or for teams and individuals. There are a lot of things that are unforgettable in the fast-moving world of technology. And in a project that has impressed both inside and outside the industry — the little penguin, the Linux mascot — is definitely an important reference case.
Referring to official historical sources, this decision was made by the “father of Linux” Linus Torvalds. According to Larry Ewing, this image was created following a series of brainstorming sessions on the mailing bulletin list.
The initial idea came from programmer Alan Cox, who was instrumental in various stages of Linux’s early development. And Larry Ewing’s design was finally fortunate to be recognized by more people.
Also refer to an archived article on Linux Australia by Linus Torvalds, who argues that penguins embody the remarkable attributes of Linux. By the way, “Tux” (full name tuxedo) is seen as an abbreviation for “Torvalds Unix”.
From the original text, it can be seen that he himself is not interested in the serious “corporate” design related to it, and finds that most of the Logo options submitted by everyone are not exciting.
Instead, Linus Torvalds prefers things that are fun and empathetic, and it just so happens that a chubby penguin smiling following a full meal hits his heart.
Linus Torvalds quipped in a follow-up article (a Usenet article archived when Linux was first announced in 1996):
I’ve been told that they don’t think a fat penguin can really embody the grace of Linux, but only because they’ve never seen an angry guy sprinting at them at 100 mph, or they wouldn’t have looked down on it so much.
National Geographic reports:
Although penguins cannot fly, they have the ability to swim long distances.
And when in motion, it protects itself from dangerous predators.
In addition, penguins have very loyal partners and are very considerate parents when it comes to feeding.
In fact, it was Linus Torvalds’ tour of a lively city zoo during his trip to Canberra that gave him such a passion for penguins.
Closer to home, Linus Torvalds wants people to remember that Linux is not only a comprehensive operating system, but also that it can attract a large number of users to grow together and let everyone enjoy the exploration in the process of learning to navigate.
He explained: “Don’t take the penguin too seriously, following all, it’s a bit silly and funny, and that’s the point.”
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