Neko (computer program)
Encyclopedia
Neko is a cross-platform
open-source animated cursor-chasing cat screenmate application.
Neko (wiktionary:猫, ねこ) is the Japanese
word for cat
.
as a desk accessory
to the Macintosh in 1989 by Kenji Gotoh, followed by an X
version by Masayuki Koba.
In the game, a sprite
would follow the mouse cursor around. In the System 7
version, the cursor could be modified to various cat toys such as a mouse, fish, or bird. When Neko caught up with the cursor, it would stare at the screen for a few seconds, scratch an itch on its body, yawn, and fall asleep until the cursor was disturbed. In windowed mode, Neko would stop at window boundaries and scratch at the edge of the window.
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
open-source animated cursor-chasing cat screenmate application.
Neko (wiktionary:猫, ねこ) is the Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
word for cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
.
About Neko
Neko was originally written for the NEC PC-9801. It was later portedPorting
In computer science, porting is the process of adapting software so that an executable program can be created for a computing environment that is different from the one for which it was originally designed...
as a desk accessory
Desk Accessory
A desk accessory is a small helper-type application that can be run concurrently with any other application on the system. Early examples, such as SideKick and Macintosh desk accessories, used special programming models to provide a small degree of multitasking on a system that initially did not...
to the Macintosh in 1989 by Kenji Gotoh, followed by an X
X Window System
The X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers...
version by Masayuki Koba.
In the game, a sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
would follow the mouse cursor around. In the System 7
System 7 (Macintosh)
System 7 is a single-user graphical user interface-based operating system for Macintosh computers. It was introduced on May 13, 1991 by Apple Computer. It succeeded System 6, and was the main Macintosh operating system until it was succeeded by Mac OS 8 in 1997...
version, the cursor could be modified to various cat toys such as a mouse, fish, or bird. When Neko caught up with the cursor, it would stare at the screen for a few seconds, scratch an itch on its body, yawn, and fall asleep until the cursor was disturbed. In windowed mode, Neko would stop at window boundaries and scratch at the edge of the window.
Other appearances
The Neko Cat has been used as a sprite in many other programs.- In 1995, a shareware game for the Macintosh called Kitten Shaver had used sprites that looked similar to Neko. The object of the game was cruel but humorous as the player would have to shave the cats, with various layers of fur, as they ran across the screen within a limited time. The game was a parody of a game called Bunny Killer. Kitten Shaver was such a success, that a sequel called Kitten Shaver 2: Kitty's Revenge was released in 1997.
- Neko has been ported to many other systems.
- There is also a Neko screensaverScreensaverA screensaver is a type of computer program initially designed to prevent phosphor burn-in on CRT and plasma computer monitors by blanking the screen or filling it with moving images or patterns when the computer is not in use...
for NEXTSTEPNEXTSTEPNeXTSTEP was the object-oriented, multitasking operating system developed by NeXT Computer to run on its range of proprietary workstation computers, such as the NeXTcube...
. - Neko was available on Acorn ComputersAcorn ComputersAcorn Computers Ltd. was a British computer company established in Cambridge, England, in 1978. The company produced a number of computers which were especially popular in the UK. These included the Acorn Electron, the BBC Micro, and the Acorn Archimedes...
' RISC OSRISC OSRISC OS is a computer operating system originally developed by Acorn Computers Ltd in Cambridge, England for their range of desktop computers, based on their own ARM architecture. First released in 1987, under the name Arthur, the subsequent iteration was renamed as in 1988... - It has been ported to Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
. The screensaver Neko.saver waited 5 years to move from version .91a to version .92, a universal binaryUniversal binaryA universal binary is, in Apple parlance, an executable file or application bundle that runs natively on either PowerPC or Intel-manufactured IA-32 or Intel 64-based Macintosh computers; it is an implementation of the concept more generally known as a fat binary.With the release of Mac OS X Snow...
. There's also a free-standing application for OS X 10.4 and up here. - A port was made for MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
Windows 3.1Windows 3.1xWindows 3.1x is a series of 16-bit operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers. The series began with Windows 3.1, which was first sold during March 1992 as a successor to Windows 3.0...
. - A port was made for Windows 95Windows 95Windows 95 is a consumer-oriented graphical user interface-based operating system. It was released on August 24, 1995 by Microsoft, and was a significant progression from the company's previous Windows products...
, ported by David Harvey from the X source. - Ports have been made for the x64 version of Windows, along with the Dec Alpha & MIPS versions of Windows NT.
- A BeOSBeOSBeOS is an operating system for personal computers which began development by Be Inc. in 1991. It was first written to run on BeBox hardware. BeOS was optimized for digital media work and was written to take advantage of modern hardware facilities such as symmetric multiprocessing by utilizing...
version was written from scratch by Greg Weston as a demonstration of Be's "replicants" technology. An enhanced version of this program by John Yanarella is available at BeBits. - IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
OS/2OS/2OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
version 2.0 shipped with Neko as an entertainment program. - A port of Neko is used as a demo program for the XCBXCBIn computing, XCB is a C language binding for the X Window System. It is implemented as free software and aims to replace Xlib. The project was started in 2001 by Bart Massey....
library. - Oneko, a port based on xneko, for LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
and BSDBerkeley Software DistributionBerkeley Software Distribution is a Unix operating system derivative developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group of the University of California, Berkeley, from 1977 to 1995...
systems. - A port, named NekoCat, was made by Laurent Duveau for Palm OSPalm OSPalm OS is a mobile operating system initially developed by Palm, Inc., for personal digital assistants in 1996. Palm OS is designed for ease of use with a touchscreen-based graphical user interface. It is provided with a suite of basic applications for personal information management...
. - A Neko character is available for the linux toy AMOR (Amusing Misuse Of Resources).
- A port named WebNeko is available for the iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
. - There is an Xneko live wallpaper for Android called Xnekodroid
- An OperaOpera (web browser)Opera is a web browser and Internet suite developed by Opera Software with over 200 million users worldwide. The browser handles common Internet-related tasks such as displaying web sites, sending and receiving e-mail messages, managing contacts, chatting on IRC, downloading files via BitTorrent,...
widgetWidget engineIn computer software, a widget engine is a software service available to users for running and displaying applets on a graphical user interface, such as that of the desktop.The widget model in widget engines is attractive because of ease of development...
is available at http://widgets.opera.com/widget/9602/. - A port was made for Windows Mobile 6.5, Neko for Windows Mobile 6.5 ported by Jayson Ragasa from Baguio CityBaguio CityThe City of Baguio is a highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. Baguio City was established by Americans in 1900 at the site of an Ibaloi village known as Kafagway...
, PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - There are some ports of Neko by fans to the ArduinoArduinoArduino is an open-source single-board microcontroller, descendant of the open-source Wiring platform, designed to make the process of using electronics in multidisciplinary projects more accessible. The hardware consists of a simple open hardware design for the Arduino board with an Atmel AVR...
micro controller boards.
- There is also a Neko screensaver
- In the 2000s, after Todd GoldmanTodd GoldmanTodd Harris Goldman is an American entrepreneur and the founder of David and Goliath, a merchandise company that produces clothing, posters and other merchandise featuring a variety of slogans based on older designs. According to the Wall Street Journal, the sales volume of David and Goliath was 90...
admitted to committing plagiarismPlagiarismPlagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
by copying a webcomic panel into a painting and labeling the painting as his work, other bloggers accused Goldman of copying Neko and using it as "Goodbye Kitty." Goldman denies these allegations.
External links
- WebNeko.net - Website to download Neko.
- Neko.saver
- Original Mac version (WayBack Machine link due to Geocities closing)
- iPhone version
- Neko games - Funny games employing Neko
- Neko x64 - Links to Windows x64, Dec Alpha & MIPS version of Neko
- Neko for Windows Mobile 6.5 - Neko for Windows Mobile 6.5