Command line fun!

If you use the terminal a lot there are a few cool applications you can use to Jazz things up. Here are some of my favourites.

Steam Locomotive (sl)

• Probably my favourite to get a cool steam locomotive ti run across the screen (shown at top of post)
• Install with

 $ sudo apt-get install -y sl

• Run with

$ sl

• Or to make it 'Fly'

$ sl -F

As a practical joke you could set an alias for 'ls' on someone’s machine :)

 

Cmatrix

• I think this is really coolto have running :)
• Install

$ sudo apt-get install -y cmatrix

• Run 

$ cmatrix

Oneko

• This is pretty random but worth trying at least once
•  It changes your cursor into mouse and creates a cat
• The cat then starts chasing around your mouse cursor
• Install

$ sudo apt-get install -y oneko

• Syntax to see the magic happen!

$ oneko

Fortune

• Fortune give 'fortune cookies' of wisdom when they are run
• Install the 'classic' version

  $ sudo apt-get install -y fortunes

• Run

$ fortune
Although the moon is smaller than the earth, it is farther away.

•  If you search apt there are lots of other versions (including different languages)
• System admins will like 

  $ sudo apt-get install fortunes-bofh-excuses

• You can include these words of wisdom in your .bashrc

 

Cowsay

• A configurable speaking/thinking cow!
• Install

$ sudo apt-get install -y cowsay

• Run 

$ cowsay "Enter any text"

• There are other animals you can use listed at /usr/share/cowsay/cows
• You can select a different cowfile with '-f'

$ cowsay -f ghostbusters.cow "Moo"

•  The man file for cowsay is very detailed on the available options

Cowsay with Fortune

• Its a great combination to use cowsay with fortune and is very simple
• Examples

$ fortune | cowsay
$ fortune | cowsay -f ghostbusters.cow

• You can use these in your .bashrc file
• An option is to script it so the cowfile will be random

Figlet

• Gives a cool 1980's look for text
• Install

$ sudo apt-get install -y figlet

• Example

$ figlet vancouver