Out of your on a regular basis speaking cows to upside-down, rainbow-colored, ASCII artwork produced from ridiculously giant prime numbers, these Linux instructions vary from mildly humorous to outright weird. Simply because these instructions are ineffective doesn’t imply you shouldn’t use them!
1
sl – The Typo Prepare is Coming
Let’s first make clear that this command is lowercase “S” and “L”, sl. The intent of this command is to supply a considerably comical indication that you simply’ve mistyped the frequent Linux listing itemizing command, “ls”.
sudo apt set up sl sudo dnf set up sl
As soon as put in, merely enter “sl” on the terminal immediate to make the practice run. To make it a bit extra attention-grabbing, sl additionally reveals completely different variants of the typo practice if among the extra frequent ls command line switches are used.
sl -lsl -a
sl -la
man sl
If you understand any person who makes this error usually, the typo practice will assist them break their dangerous behavior quick!
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2
cowsay – Speaking Cows (and Extra!)
Linux has at all times had a considerably unusual and ongoing relationship with a number of particular animals—cows being one in every of them. (No offense to the penguins or the llamas.) Within the spirit of making completely ineffective but entertaining packages, cowsay was launched to the world.
sudo apt set up cowsaysudo dnf set up cowsay
To make the cow converse, enter any phrase after the cowsay command.
cowsay Moo I say to you! Now get again to work.
Uninterested in the cow and need to make Tux speak? You are able to do that too.
cowsay -f tux By no means belief an animal with 4 stomachs.
There are additionally loads extra characters who will allow you to put phrases of their mouths. To see what else you are able to do with cowsay, attempt coming into the next instructions.
cowsay -l cowsay --assist
3
fortune – Random (and Typically Profound) Knowledge
Fortune is among the extra self-explanatory objects on this record. Consider it like with the ability to crack open a fortune cookie any time you need, proper in your terminal (minus the preliminary scrumptious meal—and the tasty, crunchy cookie).
sudo apt set up fortunesudo dnf set up fortune
Asking for a brand new fortune is so simple as typing “fortune” on the command line. When you’re inventive, you may even cross the output of fortune to different packages—for instance, cowsay. Attempt the next instructions.
fortunefortune | cowsay
fortune | cowsay -f bud-frogs
When you’re a bit inventive with shell scripts, it’s also possible to set issues up so that you’re greeted with a brand new fortune every time you open (or exit) a terminal.
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4
sure – Print Sure (or Something Else) Into Infinity
This one would possibly simply be really ineffective at this stage of Linux evolution. By default, “sure” will merely print the letter y infinitely. This could possibly be helpful to mechanically reply sure to packages that ask a number of sure/no questions. It’s also possible to add your personal arbitrary phrase and that shall be printed repeatedly and infinitely till you cease it.
This must be accessible on Ubuntu by default. For rpm based mostly distributions, it’s possible you’ll want to put in it with the next command.
sudo dnf set up core-utils
As soon as put in, typing “sure” by itself at a command immediate will output an limitless stream of lowercase Y’s. You’ll must hit Ctrl+C to cease the output. It’s also possible to give it a customized phrase to repeat.
sure "I by no means say no!"
To make use of it to reply questions coming from a program you don’t have sufficient persistence for, run it through a pipe like this:
sure | program-wanting-answers
sure "no" | program-wanting-answers
Sure "want to not reply" | program-wanting-answers
Utilizing the “sure” command can doubtlessly trigger CPU-intensive or memory-filling loops requiring a tough reset of your laptop to flee. You shouldn’t experiment with it whilst you have any necessary duties operating or unfinished work of any variety.
5
rev – Print Something in Reverse
The rev command will take any textual content enter from you and spit it again out in reverse order. You may cross quick snippets of textual content immediately on the command line or feed it total textual content recordsdata.
rev comes preinstalled on just about all Linux distributions.
Cross textual content on the command line or have rev reverse a complete file with the next instructions.
echo "Present me this textual content backwards!" | rev
cat biglongtextfile.txt | rev
cat input-rev-file.txt | rev > output-rev-file.txt
6
figlet – Generate ASCII Artwork in Your Terminal
Generate old-fashioned ASCII textual content banners proper in your terminal with figlet.
sudo apt set up figletsudo dnf set up figlet
As soon as put in, merely sort “figlet” adopted by any textual content you need. Attempt the next instructions to get an thought of what you are able to do with it.
figlet "I like large letters!"
figlet "Lengthy textual content will wrap mechanically"
figlet -w 120 "The W change units the column size of the banner!"
figlet
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7
rest room – ASCII Artwork with Colours and Fonts
If figlet wasn’t sufficient to blow your thoughts, take a look at rest room! (Sure, that actually is the title. No, we don’t know why.)
sudo apt set up rest roomsudo dnf set up rest room
Bathroom takes issues to the next stage, permitting you so as to add colour and fonts to your terminal textual content banners. There are many choices to discover if you’re within the temper. Listed here are a number of fast instructions to get you began.
rest room "How-To Geek"
rest room -t -f mono12 -F steel "How-To Geek"
rest room -t -f mono12 -F steel -F 180 "How-To Geek"
rest room --assist
8
cmatrix – Hiya, Mister Anderson
Do you dream of being Neo? Recreate the well-known dripping inexperienced display from The Matrix in your personal terminal.
sudo apt set up cmatrixsudo dnf set up cmatrix
However wait! There’s extra! Use the next instructions to create completely different variations of the unique Matrix terminal. Press Ctrl+C to exit and return to “actuality”.
cmatrixcmatrix -a
cmatrix -a -b
cmatrix -a -b -r
cmatrix -h
9
lolcat – It’s Like Rainbow Sprinkles for Your Terminal
Considerably much like figlet and bathroom, lolcat takes your bland and lifeless enter and creates hypnotizing, eye-dazzling output.
sudo apt set up lolcatsudo dnf set up lolcat
Utilizing lolcat on a single line of textual content doesn’t actually do it justice. This entry on our record of ineffective instructions works greatest should you cross the output from one other program into it. To get a fast thought of what lolcat will do, attempt among the following instructions.
prime | lolcat
figlet "That is lolcat!" | lolcat
ls -la | lolcat
sl | lolcat
lolcat --assist
10
espeak – Make Your Pc Speak in Creepy Voices
Your terminal can speak to you, although do not count on it to sound anyplace as pure because the text-to-speech instruments in your cellphone. Set up espeak simply if it’s not already there.
sudo apt set up espeaksudo dnf set up espeak
I haven’t got a screenshot since this ineffective command solely generates audio. Attempt a number of of the next instructions and look by means of the assistance to seek out mixtures to make your personal distinctive voices.
espeak "Welcome to Linux, grasp!"espeak -ven+whisper "I'm watching you..."
espeak -f <textual content file to learn>
espeak
espeak --assist
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11
asciiquarium – Swimming and Fishing Prohibited
Get a special underwater view each time you load up the asciiquarium. Don’t fear, you may’t overfeed these fish!
sudo apt set up asciiquariumsudo dnf set up asciiquarium
There aren’t any particular startup choices for asciiquarium. Whereas it’s operating, the next keys are energetic:
- R – Redraw animation (new scene)
- P – Pause animation
- Q – Stop asciiquarium
12
oneko – A Cat That Will Chase Your Mouse
Who wouldn’t like a cute, however ineffective, tiny cat operating forwards and backwards throughout their display whereas they work?
sudo apt set up onekosudo dnf set up oneko
As soon as oneko is began, hover your mouse cursor over the cat and it’ll flip right into a mouse. Click on and maintain the left button and the cat will observe wherever you drag the mouse. It’s also possible to go away the cat by itself and it’ll resolve when it does or doesn’t need to chase your cursor.
When operating, press Ctrl+C within the terminal window the place you began oneko to cease it. Listed here are a number of instructions to point out you among the choices you may set.
oneko oneko -dog
oneko -tofocus
oneko -h
13
issue – Prime Elements of Any Quantity Immediately
Don’t you simply hate it if you’re deep right into a challenge, centered and productive, laser-like precision and a focus, completely killing it, after which all of a sudden you notice you may’t proceed till you determine the prime components of some random 12 digit quantity?
Yeah, it bugs the hell out of us too. Fortunately—lengthy, loud sigh of aid—there’s a fast answer!
Enter “issue” adopted by any quantity at a terminal immediate and get again that quantity’s prime components immediately! Attempt some or all the following instructions to make superb math tips in your terminal.
issue 384746133issue 384746133 | figlet -w 120
issue 384746133 | figlet -w 120 | lolcat
issue 384746133 | rest room -f mono12 -F 180 | lolcat
14
xeyes – Unusual Eyes Comply with Your Cursor
Simply since you’re paranoid doesn’t imply they aren’t watching you. And belief us, they are watching you.
sudo apt set up xeyessudo dnf set up xeyes
Outcomes could range with this one as this system is kind of outdated. It might not work accurately, or in any respect, on some window managers or most recent desktop environments. However let’s attempt anyway.
Simply enter “xeyes” at a terminal immediate and two large eyes will seem. Watch them transfer to observe your cursor. You’re amazed! You’re welcome!
15
Watch “echo beep” – Ring the Terminal Bell Infinitely
The “echo beep” command is one other that provides us no visible output to point out. Go forward and kind the command under to see what it does. Whether or not or not it should work will rely on the terminal emulator that you’re utilizing. It ought to work with the default terminal for the most typical Linux desktops.
watch "echo -e 'a'"
In case your terminal app permits for the audible “beep”, you’ll hear it repeat each few seconds. This won’t appear very amusing at first, but it surely makes for a terrific prank. Begin this as a background course of on another person’s Linux terminal they usually’ll go mad making an attempt to determine what’s incorrect with their system. However hey, you didn’t hear that from us!
None of those instructions will ease your workload, make you extra productive, or enhance your effectivity. They’ll, nevertheless, serve fairly properly the subsequent time you end up within the inevitable recurring place all Linux fans discover themselves in occasionally—arguing over ineffective details and pointless data about Linux and all the things it encompasses. That is all only a drop within the bucket, although. There are various hidden treasures to seek out under the floor of Linux. Maintain exploring!