10 odd and downright strange places you’ll find Linux

This year is definitely not the year of Linux on the desktop computer, and that year will probably never come, however Linux has gotten just about everywhere else!

There are many different places where you can find the Linux operating system that are both weird and intriguing…

Robot Milking Machines – Sweden has created a gentler, kinder milking machine that cows will enter when they want to be milked and are rewarded with tasty “dietary concentrate.” The Voluntary Milking System is powered by a tiny single-board computer that runs Linux, of course!

In-flight Entertainment Systems – The screens in airplanes that are on the back of all the seats which let you watch movies and listen to music are powered by Linux, more often than you think!

International Space Station – Apparently the good people on board the International Space Station don’t run Windows because they get terrible malware infections. The laptops that astronauts and cosmonauts use day-to-day actually run Linux.

Sea Robots – A company called Liquid Robotics is developing autonomous nautical robots that are solar-powered versions of drones that travel in the ocean. The company is using Linux as the operating system for its sea robots, which are going on year-long journeys.

Crock Pot WeMo Smart Slow Cooker – You might think that a slow cooker is a really simple device; you put food in it, turn it on, it gets warm and a few hours later your pot roast is done. But what if you’re not there to turn it off on time? Well, you could always buy the WiFi-enabled Crock Pot WeMo Smart Slow Cooker, which runs an embedded Linux and is controllable from your cellphone!

Nuclear Submarines – Believe it or not, the U.S. nuclear submarine fleet has used Linux to power various systems for more than a decade! In particular, much of the sonar systems the Navy relies on are Linux-powered.

Barbie’s Dream House – A few years ago, a range of possible new jobs for Barbie were created. One of those new career paths was computer programmer. Yes, Barbie can choose whatever operating system she likes, however her cubicle has some penguin art, so she presumably uses Linux!

It is clear that Linux is found pretty much everywhere, so they have no reason to worry about conquering the desktop computer.

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