The Real Reason Why The Linux Logo Is A Penguin

In an archived Linux Australia post ⁠— wherein the penguin was dubbed as “Tux, the Aussie Penguin,” the name short for “Torvalds UniX” ⁠— Torvalds stated that he wasn’t interested in a serious “corporate” design to associate with his company and that he found a bulk of the logo options presented to him lacking in excitement. Instead, he preferred “something fun and sympathetic,” which a chubby smiling penguin appearing to be content after a satisfying meal seemed to exemplify in spades.

“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 100mph,” Torvalds reportedly wrote in a now-archived Usenet post when he first announced Linux 2.0 in 1996. “They’d be a lot more careful about what they say if they had.”

According to National Geographic, the aquatic flightless bird has the keen ability to swim long distances and mask itself from dangerous predators while in motion. Additionally, penguins also make loyal life partners and even more considerate parents to their young.