OStatic

Tux Heads to Undisclosed Location for 2.6.29 Kernel Cycle; Tuz to Stand In

If you happened to be perusing the recent commits to the upcoming 2.6.29 Linux kernel release (and why wouldn't you be?) you probably noticed Linus Torvalds' stamp of approval that cleared Tux to go on walkabout this release cycle, and welcomed "Tuz" as Linux's substitute mascot.

Tuz is a Tasmanian Devil cleverly disguised as a penguin. Assurances abound that Tux is on sabbatical, and the screeching, meat-eating endangered marsupial from Australia hasn't devoured him. How did Tuz get from the forests of Tasmania to the Linux kernel tree? It started at a conference...

Linux.conf.au (LCA) 2009 wasn't all open source software, vendors, and keynotes. It was also host to some creative fundraising events for the endangered Tasmanian Devils. These creatures experience the same dangers as other species -- habitat destruction, dangerous roadways, threats from introduced species -- as well as the Devil-specific, fatal, Devil Facial Tumor Disease.

Linus Torvalds' contribution to the auction-style fundraiser was a "mascot swap" (Tuz for Tux) for one major kernel release. Rusty Russell, the man behind the original LCA, iptables and ipchains, submitted a patch to the kernel shortly after the auction closed containing the secretive new mascot.

It's shaping into the year of the Linux marsupial, between Tuz's introduction and the upcoming Karmic Koala release from Ubuntu.

• linux
• conference
• kernel
• tux
• mascot
• fundraiser

Share Your Comments