Why is the Linux Mascot a Penguin?

Have you ever wondered why the Linux mascot is a Penguin (or Pinguim in Brazilian Portuguese)? It is a very curious fact and discussed today. Everything in the year 1996, many members of the "Linux-Kernel" mailing list were discussing the creation of a logo or a mascot that represented the Linux operating system. Many of the suggestions were parodies to the logo of a concurrent operating system and well-known and used (Welcome, Microsoft Windows! hahaha). Others were monsters or aggressive animals. =)

Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, ended up entering this debate by stating in a message that he was very fond of penguins. That was enough to end the discussion. After that, several attempts were made in a sort of contest for the image of a penguin to serve the purposes of Linux, until Larry Ewing suggested the figure of a "penguin holding the world".

In response, Linus Torvalds stated that he found it interesting that this penguin had a simple image: a "chubby" penguin with a satisfied expression, as if he had just eaten a lot of fish. Torvalds also did not find the idea of being too aggressive or too forceful to be interesting, but rather the idea of a nice penguin, the kind the children ask, "Mama, can I have one of these too?".

Still, Linus Torvalds also stressed that by working in this way, people could create various modifications of that penguin. And this really happens, in a practical way. In addition, when questioned by users and the press about why penguins, Torvalds replied that there was no particular reason, but found them funny and even quoted that he was pecked once by a "killer penguin" in Australia and stayed impressed as the peck of an apparently harmless animal, could be so painful.

And you, what do you think of this curiosity? Already knew? :)