The Funny Side of Linux Command Line (Terminal)

For most users of Linux the Command Line is their best friend. The Terminal wasn’t meant to be so serious at all times, it’s also funny sometimes. If you don’t know, here are some commands that will make you see the funny side of the Command Line.

Can you remember the first funny command you run when you started using Linux? I can remember ($ apt-get moo) and here are some 6 funny Linux commands. Let me start with the first funny command I run when I started using Linux (Ubuntu).

1. moo

$ apt-get moo

This displays:

moo

2. sl

As you already know the ls command is used to display files in a directory, but what if you make a typo error and type sl instead. To prevent the default message.

Let us install sl, run the command below:

$ sudo apt-get install sl

You can also use $ sl -F to make the train fly. Whenever you run sl you see this animation:

 sl-train

3. figlet

Figlet is used to display large characters made up of ordinary screen characters.

To install Figlet run the command below:

$ sudo apt-get install figlet

After installation you can run $ figlet character(s), hence running:

figlet Unixmen gives you:

 figlet-unixmen

4. xcowsay

xcowsay displays a cute cow and a speech bubble.

Install xcowsay:

$ sudo apt-get install xcowsay

Running xcowsay Unixmen displays:

xcowsay

5. oneko

oneko makes a cat to chase your mouse pointer everywhere it goes. oneko sounds like Tom and Jerry on your desktop.

Install oneko:

$ sudo apt-get install oneko

Running oneko displays:

 oneko

oneko can also make a dog chase the mouse instead of a cat,
run oneko -dog:

oneko_dog

6. xeyes

Xeyes displays eyes that spy on your mouse wherever it goes.

Just run:

$ xeyes

xeyes

Always  Press Ctrl + C  to quit the commands.

NB: You can run man on this commands for more options. Also there are a lot of these funny commands.