# Kazumasa Utashiro

> Japanese programmer

**Wikidata**: [Q11545083](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11545083)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/kazumasa-utashiro

## Summary
Kazumasa Utashiro is a Japanese programmer and software engineer, born in 1960. He is best known as the creator of `sl`, a popular command line utility that displays a steam locomotive across the terminal screen. He is also recognized within the software development community for his contributions to the CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network).

## Biography
- **Born:** 1960, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
- **Nationality:** Japan
- **Education:** [Information not available in source]
- **Known for:** Creating the `sl` command line utility
- **Employer(s):** [Information not available in source]
- **Field(s):** Computer software, Software Engineering

## Contributions
Kazumasa Utashiro developed `sl` (Steam Locomotive) in 1987. This command line utility is a terminal program that displays an animated steam locomotive. In the context of Unix-like operating systems, the utility is widely recognized as a "joke" program or a humorous corrective tool; it is often installed to catch users who accidentally type `sl` instead of the common list command `ls`. When the mistake is made, the train animation runs across the screen, forcing the user to wait or abort, thereby training them to type more carefully.

Beyond this specific utility, Utashiro is identified as a software engineer and a CPAN author with the ID `UTASHIRO`. This indicates active participation in the Perl programming community, contributing code and modules to the open-source ecosystem. His work is documented in various library and knowledge graph authorities, including the National Diet Library in Japan and the Virtual International Authority File (VIAF).

## FAQs

### Q: What is the `sl` command?
A: The `sl` command is a Unix utility created by Kazumasa Utashiro in 1987. It displays a steam locomotive animation in the terminal and is typically used as a joke to punish users who mistype the `ls` command.

### Q: When was Kazumasa Utashiro born?
A: He was born in 1960 in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.

### Q: What is Kazumasa Utashiro's role in the Perl community?
A: He is a CPAN author with the user ID `UTASHIRO`, indicating he has contributed software modules or code to the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network.

## Why They Matter
Kazumasa Utashiro holds a distinct place in hacker and software culture for creating one of the most enduring and widely recognized "easter eggs" in computing history. The `sl` utility, conceived in 1987, remains a staple example of how humor is integrated into technical environments. The program’s persistence in modern Linux distributions and Unix-like systems decades after its inception demonstrates its cultural resonance. It serves as an introductory lesson for many system administrators and developers regarding the lighter side of the command line interface. His continued presence as a CPAN author further underscores a long-standing commitment to practical software development and open-source sharing.

## Notable For
- **Creator of `sl`:** Developed the Steam Locomotive utility in 1987.
- **Cultural Icon:** The `sl` command is a standard inclusion in many Linux package repositories for its humor and educational utility.
- **CPAN Contributor:** Holds the author ID `UTASHIRO` on the Comprehensive Perl Archive Network.
- **Authority Recognition:** Indexed in the National Diet Library (Japan) and VIAF.

## Body

### Background and Personal Data
Kazumasa Utashiro is a male Japanese programmer born in 1960. He hails from Saitama Prefecture, Japan. His name is represented in Kana as うたしろ かずまさ. He also uses the alias "Kaz Utashiro."

### Development of `sl`
In 1987, Utashiro created `sl`, a command line utility defined as a tool to display a steam locomotive. The software is classified under command line utilities and serves as a notable example of fun or recreational software within a serious engineering environment. The inception date of this project is firmly recorded as 1987.

### Professional Identifiers
Utashiro is registered as a programmer and software engineer. His specific contributions to the Perl language are tracked via his CPAN Author ID: `UTASHIRO`.

### Authority Control
He is listed in several major knowledge bases and library authorities:
*   **Wikidata:** Listed as a Japanese programmer with 1 sitelink (Japanese Wikipedia).
*   **VIAF ID:** 252015968
*   **NDL Authority ID:** 00213663 (National Diet Library, Japan)
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/121c53l6

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File