Check out the width of that Debian display
A digital billboard in Greenock, Scotland, has displayed a Debian Linux login prompt for several weeks instead of advertisements, apparently because nobody has restored its normal operation. The incident matters as a visible example of unattended public technology, potentially linked to the collapse of the billboard’s former operator, 75Media.
The sign was reportedly a 75Media billboard in 2024, but the UK outdoor advertising company ceased trading at the end of 2025, and responsibility may since have passed elsewhere. The system appears to run Debian 11 “Bullseye”, released in 2021, on a 1,200 × 320-pixel display; Debian 11 reaches end of long-term support in 2026, though paid extended fixes may continue to 2031.
- Greenock billboard has exposed a Debian login prompt for weeks.
- Former operator 75Media ceased trading in late 2025.
- The screen appears to run Debian 11 at low resolution.
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Digital billboards are large screens used to show changing advertisements in public places. They normally rely on a computer and network connection so that content can be updated remotely without someone visiting the site.
Debian is a widely used version of Linux, an operating system that runs many types of computer equipment. A login prompt on a public display usually means the software is not running its normal advertising programme and is instead showing part of the underlying computer system.
Outdoor advertising sites can involve several organisations, including the company that owns the screen, the operator that sells advertising space and a contractor who maintains the equipment. When a business closes or ownership changes, responsibility for repairing and managing installed technology can be unclear.