The name is a thinly veiled reference to Linux, a kernel originally written by the Finnish native Linus Torvalds.
Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon includes a fictitious U-553 which runs aground about ten miles north of Qwghlm, a fictional pair of islands, Inner Qwghlm and Outer Qwghlm, off the northwestern coast of Great Britain.
Appearing in Datamation, a then-leading trade magazine focused on enterprise computing, "The King of Malaputa" (translation: bad whore) predates by at least 15 years Neal Stephenson's better-known novel, Cryptonomicon (1999) and its imaginary island nation, Kinakuta, which has been set up for use in anonymous, computer-based banking activities.
Neal Stephenson's book Cryptonomicon contains descriptions of the exploits of the China Marines in World War II and the book opens with the evacuation of Shanghai in 1941.
Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon (1999) also contains a fictional treatment of the historical role played by Turing and Bletchley Park.
Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon includes a fictitious U-691, a Type IXD/42, launched at Wilhelmshaven on 19 September 1940 (four years before IXD/42s were actually developed) and fitted with an experimental schnorkel.
The novel has been compared to Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, with similarities including a buried treasure subplot and flashbacks to Bletchley Park.