Tux the Penguin is the official mascot of the Linux operating system. Created by Larry Ewing in 1996, Tux is depicted as a friendly, chubby penguin, symbolizing the open-source nature of Linux. The character has become widely recognized in the tech community and beyond. Tux is often used in various promotional materials, merchandise, and events related to Linux. The penguin's playful design represents the fun and collaborative spirit of the Linux community, which encourages users to share and improve software together.