Funny Raspberry PI OS Terminal Commands Not Everyone Knows

Last Updated on 2nd January 2025 by peppe8o

Raspbian Lite users work every day with terminal commands without graphical environment. But Linux world is plenty of funny tweaks that can make terminal really funny also for newer users.

First action is, as always, installing Raspberry PI OS Lite or installing Raspberry PI OS Desktop in your Raspberry PI.

Some funny examples are listed below. Try them from youself…

Funny Commands Without Addictional Packages

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ nice man woman
No manual entry for woman

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ ^How did the sex change operation go?^
-bash: :s^How did the sex change operation go?^: substitution failed

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ [ whereis my brain?
-bash: [: missing `]'

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ apt-get moo
             (__)
             (oo)
       /------\/
      / |    ||
   *    /\---/\
…"Have you mooed today?"…

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ calendar -f /usr/share/calendar/calendar.lotr -A 365
Apr 17 An unexpected party
Apr 23 Crowning of King Ellesar
May 19 Arwen leaves Lorian to wed King Ellesar
Jun 11 Sauron attacks Osgilliath
Jun 13 Bilbo returns to Bag End
Jun 23 Wedding of Ellesar & Arwen
Jul 04 Gandalf imprisoned by Saruman
Jul 24 The ring comes to Bilbo
Jul 26 Bilbo rescued from Wargs by Eagles
Aug 03 Funeral of King Theoden
Aug 29 Saruman enters the Shire
Sep 10 Gandalf escapes from Orthanc
....

Funny Commands With Addictional Packages to try yourself…

Fortune

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install fortune

Then type :

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ fortune

Aafire

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install libaa-bin

then type:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ aafire

Stream Locomotive

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install sl

then type:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sl

Cowsay

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install cowsay

Then type:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cowsay "peppe8o.com" #change phrase with whatever you want

(you can find under /usr/share/cowsay/cows other funny pictures to show with “cowsay -f picture.cow text_to_say”). An example is “cowsay -f ghostbusters.cow peppe8o.com”

Cmatrix

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install cmatrix

then type:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ cmatrix

BB

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ sudo apt install bb

then type:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ bb #wait for video to be completely loaded...

Enjoy!