You say you love open source, but how much do you really love it? Would you, for example, dress head-to-toe in an open source-inspired Halloween costume?
If your answer is yes, we have great news. You see, we also love open source, and during a few team discussions, an interesting debate emerged. What are the top 10 open source projects when judged upon their utility as a Halloween costume? And so, the following list was born. Take a read and let us know what we missed!
- Jaeger: What’s in a name? When it comes to Jaeger, a lot, and that’s why this project is the perfect inspiration for your
Halloween get-up. First, Jaeger means hunter in Russian and may also translate as sharpshooter depending on the context, both of which perfectly describe this tracing tool. And second, Jaeger was programmed in Go, which has a gopher as its mascot. What do you get when you combine a hunter and gopher? Well, you get Jaeger’s mascot: a gopher dressed as a hunter. In our opinion, that makes for one incredible Halloween costume—though we are a little fuzzy on what dressing up as a gopher requires. Maybe dirt? - KernelShark: Baby shark, doo doo…Papa shark, doo doo…KernelShark, doo, doo. Okay, enough of that, but does it get any more perfect than this? A shark costume by itself is absolutely killer, but when you combine it with a trendy technological tie-in, you instantly become the most interesting costume at the party. But wait, there’s more. Take this costume to the next level by integrating a candy corn hat into your sharky ensemble. Kernel…Shark!
- Jenkins: Jenkins is an automation server, so its butler mascot isn’t too imaginative. But still, only the classiest Halloween parties feature butler service, making this the perfect strategy for becoming indispensable at even the spookiest gatherings. May we recommend a few clothing choices for your costume, good sir? An
understated black suit with a well-chosen bowtie serves up a simple yet sophisticated look. And while you’re at it, mind handing out candy for us as well? - SUSE: The mascot behind this Linux Operating System is Geeko the Gecko. He’s a green gecko, so we advise wearing—you guessed it—green. Beyond that, you’re on your own. Maybe head to the zoo for inspiration?
- Linux: Tux the Penguin may be the most recognizable open source mascot out there. And a penguin is both a unique and beloved costume, so you can feel confident in your Halloween choice. There are a few options here for
dressing up. You can buy an expensive costume online, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, wear black jeans with a tuxedo T-shirt for your base. Then—here’s where it gets innovative—take two pringles and place them together upside to create your beak. Genius! - Elastic: This one is easy and fun. Its symbol is a multi-colored blob of balloons. So, your costume is the same, obviously.
- KDE: “A wizard is never late, nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to,” you explain to befuddled trick or treaters wondering exactly why you took so long to answer the door. You’re not being purposely misleading; you’re just in character as Kandalf the Blue, self-proclaimed leader of the KDE community and a wizard when it comes to code.
- Minix 3: Dressing as Rocky Raccoon, the mascot of Minix3, unlocks your Halloween alter ego who loves mischief and magic. Just remember to root around in people’s candy jars, not in their trash cans.
- Hadoop: Be the boldest, biggest costume at your party. Be a bright yellow elephant.
- Android: Bugdroid, Android’s mascot, is a peculiar looking fellow who offers great opportunity to the most devoted open source fans. Let’s start from the ground up with green sneakers and tights. For the body, find a metal trash can and cut out the bottom to create a cylinder. Spray paint it green and finish your costume with a green bamboo hat. You’re welcome in advance!
If you’re surprised that we were able to write nearly 700 words on this topic, you’re not alone. And if any of these spark a costume IRL, we want—no, we need—to see it. Send photos of your costume to our Twitter handle (@vmwopensource), and we’ll share our favorites. Happy Halloween!
