Not entirely sure what to make of this...

One for Rick, I think:

http://ostan-collections.net/wiki/index.php?title=RISC_OS

;-) I like the bit where she might have feelings for OS/2.

The first, and a rather funny description, is Me-tan (aka Emui-san). http://ostan-collections.net/wiki/index.php/Me-tan

For those thinking “huh?”, the phrase you are looking for is "moe anthropomorphism"; and note that the example on the page is Wikipe-tan, who turns up from time to time.

I did have in mind a design for a RISCOS-tan of my own, back around Y2K, which would be “cute” while making a lot of reference to the British heritage. I had her as a schoolgirl, rather than an action-girl. But… well… let’s say I won’t ever have a career as a mangaka.

I presume you both read El Reg (well, I know I’ve seen Rick pop up in the comments occasionally)?

If so, you’ll no doubt have seen this a few days ago:

Microsoft bizarre Inori IE campaign

Perhaps it’s not as bizarre as El Reg thought, then, if these OS-tans have been around for a while!

They have been around for ages. Likewise, the predecessor of Inori (Inori? doesn’t that mean “prayer”?) is perhaps Nanami Madobe, the official Japanese Windows 7 girl – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeMPbUYJCA0 – it’s a funny advert, I’m not entirely sure if it is serious or if Microsoft are really taking the p……..

As for the comments, I think more than a few of the El Reg crew will be thinking “wtf?”, welcome to the world of furry fandom. Me? I don’t need to bother with that, I have cats and I know they are visitors from another planet trying to discover intelligence on this planet. Sadly, they live with me…and sometimes you look at them and you just know they are laughing at the ineptitude of a shaven monkey attempting circus tricks by walking on only two legs….. (^_^)