Debian GNU/Linux Easter Egg - Got Apt-Get?

The Advanced Package Tool (APT) is a part of the software management system for Debian. Analogous to RedHat's RPM, but infinitely more capable, APT features automatic dependency handling and much more. If you're not a Linux type, it's like Windows Update for adults.

1. Login to a shell as root.

2. Type "apt-get moo" and press ENTER.

3a. An ASCII-art drawing of a cow will be displayed, with "Have you mooed today?".

3b. If you use just "apt-get", a help file is shown with the various switches available. At the very end it says "This APT has Super Cow Powers".

Although I'n not really sure of its origin (and it's difficult to find much about this), "moo" may have started as an inside joke on kuro5hin.org, and could have carried over to Debian this way. If you look hard enough, you can find such things as news://alt.cows.moo.moo.moo and quotes like "To err is human - to moo, bovine".

Also, some have alluded that the reference to "super cow powers" means APT is able to import packages from newer releases of Debian (such as testing << unstable).

It may refer to a variant of MUDs (Multi-User Domain [Dungeon, Dimension]) called MOOs (MUD, Object Oriented). These are internet accessible, text-mediated virtual reality environments.

Last but not least, I was told in #debian on irc.openprojects.org that it's just geek humor. :)