The Linux logo - the penguin
 

Why a penguin?

In a cold world, all the penguins have is each other. Sob.

Why not a penguin? It is anathema to all the bitchin, fearful, powerful wolf, cougar, cheetah type logos that other companies like to associate their images with.

Besides, once when visiting a zoo a penguin bit Linus Torvalds. True story.

seacrh google for linux penguin history and the first result you get should be a whole history of "why a penguin?" complete with Linus' letters explaining what's so cool about a penguin.
And yes, it is true that he got bit by a penguin, from then on he got a very rare sickness called penguinomania, and caused him to fall in love with penguins, and thus, Tux was created by Larry Ewing (correct me if i'm wrong)
HTH
-NSKL

penguinomania?????? Does that effect the kidneys or the liver?

Nope, i think it's a nervous system thing. It is not researched very well, and indeed it is a mysterious sickness that causes the victim to fall in love with penguins and write neat operating systems. :D
-NSKL

Maybe penguinomania's the result of a US Black Project to remove Bill Gates and reclaim some control of the US ;)

He, is penguinomania contagious?

hey, I think a "window" is a pretty damn hardcore logo!

... and a widow would be more creepy ! :D

Yeah but then a careless penguin can always break the window... :D
-NSKL

Silly penguins have no use for windows. Besides, what moron would build an igloo with a window?

Here's an interview from 1998. If you don't want to read the entire
interview, the penguin bit is at the end.
http://hr.uoregon.edu/davidrl/samba/boot.txt

super good read, props to you.