Tasmanian Devil Mascot for Kernel 2.6.29
Linus Torvalds announced at the Australian Linux.conf.au that he wants to make the conference mascot, the Tasmanian Devil (considering that the conference took place in Hobart, Tasmania) the new logo for Linux Kernel 2.6.29.
Called "Tuz" for short, the carnivorous marsupial matched with Tux the penguin's beak was designed partly to draw attention to the endangered Australian species and save it from extinction.
Linus has now made things official through a commit and subsequent blog. The Tasmanian Devil population is currently stricken with the dreadful transmittable Devil facial tumor disease (DFTD) that has decimated its numbers and baffled scientists since the 1990s. The animal known in other contexts as a Warner Brothers cartoon character lives exclusively in the Australian island state of Tasmania.
So Tux has morphed into Tuz for the next release, but retained the penguin beak, perhaps as a way of hiding the ugly tumor, but with an idea of building an eventual immunity to the disease.
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Ignore the troll
Don't like the penguin (or the Tuz?)? It's open-source. Change it for yourself.
branding
If they're gonna dick with the branding, they should move well away from this kiddy stuff.
There's a reason Distro's don't use it.
World class OS represented by a Toys'R'Us type mascot, it's an embarrassment. Saying you work on Linux shouldn't feel like saying you do occupational therapy with the learning disabled, or run a crèche.
Not that I stand in admiration of that mutant window thing...