OS-tan

So, I consider myself quite versed in the culture of the web. I've immersed myself pretty deeply in the web culture, and really enjoy watching the web community figuring out what kind of power they now hold. Every once in a while, though, you stumble onto some little corner of the web that makes you just shake your head and laugh. OS-tan is one of those corners.

OS-Tan are manga personifications of the Windows Operating systems. No, seriously. They apparently got started on a Japanese message board called the Futaba Channel. From what I've seen so far, it started around the time Windows ME came out, which was a disaster. Some users started referring to it as a ditzy girl, and a drawing of a green haired cute girl who was generally unstable and prone to frequent crashes. From there, it was expanded so that each operating system had their own mascot. Almost all are cute anime girls, except, oddly enough, Windows 98, which seem to be paper bags come to life. (Though, cute chicks are often seen to hide in the paper bags with hair clips in the form of "98" or "SE")

I can't thank the Wired Magazine site enough for pointing out this odd, uh, counter culture (?) to me in their article on the 15 lamest Technology Mascots ever. I reminds me that for every brilliant web-app or fantastic business venture to pop up, there is some corner of the web where nerdy guys can get together and discuss breast size in relation to memory usage of an operating system.

God Bless the Internet.