---
# Who is Fatherlinux?
**URL:** https://crunchtools.com/how-i-got-the-name-fatherlinux/
Date: 2016-09-03
Author: fatherlinux
Post Type: post
Summary: It might be hard to imagine now, but when I first started my career, using Linux in corporate America was a bit of a taboo. Over the years, people have been curious when I tell them my handle is @fatherlinux. “What about mother Linux?” they ask. Or, “Shouldn’t you be Grandpa Linux by now?” MostContinue Reading "Who is Fatherlinux?" →
Categories: News
Tags: Linux, Open Source Software, Systems Administration
Featured Image: https://crunchtools.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-1771153020035.jpeg
---
It might be hard to imagine now, but when I first started my career, using Linux in corporate America was a bit of a taboo.
Over the years, people have been curious when I tell them my handle is @fatherlinux. "What about mother Linux?" they ask. Or, "Shouldn't you be Grandpa Linux by now?" Most assume it's some sort of claim to Linux expertise – it's not. The real story is far more entertaining.
In 2006, I joined [American Greetings Interactive (AGI)](http://www.americangreetings.com/), the e-card division of American Greetings. Despite being part of a traditional corporation, AGI operated like a startup – open floor plans, casual dress, and constant conversation about emerging technologies. I was brought in as a Linux administrator in web operations. The term "DevOps" didn't exist yet, but the philosophy did: bridge the gap between development and operations, collaborate rather than gatekeep, and keep a large cluster of production servers running smoothly.
On my first day, I was assigned a Windows desktop. That wasn't going to work. I formatted the drive and installed [Gentoo Linux](https://www.gentoo.org/).
A few days later, my manager [Martin Andrews](https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinthegeek/) stopped by my desk. He glanced at my screen. "What happened to your computer?" I explained that I'd installed Linux, assuming it wouldn't be an issue. He paused. "Corporate IT controls our desktops. You're not supposed to do that." Then he walked away.
I spent the next few hours wondering if I'd be fired from a job I'd barely started.
Instead, something unexpected happened. Word spread. Developers and engineers began stopping by my desk, curious about the person who had defied Corporate IT. They'd talk about wanting to run Linux themselves – but none of them actually did it. The fear of corporate repercussions was too strong.
Over time, a running joke developed. They started calling me Father Linux – the leader of an underground open source movement.
Colleagues would visit my cube to "confess their sins" of using proprietary software. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. Today I used Windows." I'd respond in kind: "This is a grave sin. You must repent by writing two kernel modules and three pieces of open source documentation. Go forth."
The name stuck. Nearly two decades later, it's still how most people know me.
---
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