Neko is a
cross-platform open-source
Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...
animated cursor-chasing cat
screenmate application.
''Neko'' () is the
Japanese word for ''
cat''.
About Neko
Neko was originally written for the
NEC PC-9801. It was later
ported as a
desk accessory to the Macintosh in 1989 by Kenji Gotoh. He also designed the sleeping graphics for Neko. An
X version was later made by Masayuki Koba.
In the application, a
sprite follows the mouse pointer around. In the
System 7 version, the pointer could be modified to various cat toys such as a mouse, fish, or bird. When Neko caught up with the pointer, it would stare at the screen for a few seconds, scratch an itch on its body, yawn, and fall asleep until the pointer 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
screensaver for
NEXTSTEP.
** Neko was available on
Acorn Computers'
RISC OS.
** Windows 3.x variants Michael Bankstahl (1991), Dara T. Khani (1992)
** A port was made, ''Ameko'' in 1997 for the
Amiga Computer
Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...
and attributed to Neko by its author, Carl Revell.
** It has been ported to
Mac OS X. The screensaver Neko.saver waited 5 years to move from version .91a to version .92, a
universal binary. There's also a free-standing application for OS X 10.4 and up.
** A shareware port titled ''Cat!'' or ''TopCAT!'' was made for
Microsoft Windows 3.1 by Robert Dannbauer in 1991.
** A
Windows 95 port was made 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
BeOS
BeOS is an operating system for personal computers first developed by Be Inc. in 1990. It was first written to run on BeBox hardware.
BeOS was positioned as a multimedia platform that could be used by a substantial population of desktop users a ...
version was written from scratch by Greg Weston (later author of the Mac OS X app), as a demonstration of Be's "replicants" technology. An enhanced version of this program by John Yanarella is available.
**
IBM OS/2 version 2.0 shipped with Neko as an entertainment program.
** A port of Neko is used as a demo program for the
XCB library.
** Oneko is a port based on Xneko, for
Linux and
BSD
The Berkeley Software Distribution or Berkeley Standard Distribution (BSD) is a discontinued operating system based on Research Unix, developed and distributed by the Computer Systems Research Group (CSRG) at the University of California, Berk ...
systems.
** A port named NekoCat was made by Laurent Duveau for
Palm OS.
** A Neko character is available for the Linux toy AMOR (Amusing Misuse Of Resources).
** A port named WebNeko is available for the
iPhone.
** There is an Xneko live wallpaper for
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
called Xnekodroid.
** Another Android port is called ANeko, and runs on top of any applications, not just as a live wallpaper. Several skins are also available as separate applications by a different developer.
** An
Opera widget is available.
** A
Windows Mobile 6.5
Windows Mobile 6.5 was a stopgap update to Windows Mobile 6.1 intended to bridge the gap between version 6.1, that arrived in 2008, and Windows Phone 7 that was released in 2010.
It was never part of Microsoft's original mobile phone roadmap, ...
port was made by Jayson Ragasa.
** There are some ports of Neko by fans to the
Arduino micro controller boards.
** A
Java Swing
Swing or swinging may refer to:
Apparatus
* Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth
* Pendulum, an object that swings
* Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus
* Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse
* Swing rid ...
port is available.
* Neko appears as an animated, directional paintbrush in
Tux Paint.
* In the 2000s (decade), after
Todd Goldman
Todd Harris Goldman is a controversial 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 and the work of o ...
admitted to committing
plagiarism
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work.From the 1995 '' Random House Compact Unabridged Dictionary'': use or close imitation of the language and thought ...
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.
" "The Beat." '' Publishers Weekly''. April 12, 2007.
See also
*XBill
''XBill'' is an arcade style game for the X Window System. The game features a bespectacled character known as "Bill" (a spoof of Bill Gates). The goal is to prevent Bill's legions of clones from installing "Wingdows", a virus "cleverly desig ...
*Xsnow
Xsnow is a software application that creates the appearance of snow falling on the elements of the graphical user interface of a computer system. Xsnow was originally created as a virtual greeting card for Macintosh systems in 1984. In 1993 ...
* Xwap
References
External links
*https://www.clubic.com/telechargement-en-cours/55398-0-neko.html - Neko Windows Version running under Windows 10
WebNeko.net
- Neko in JavaScript.
(WayBack Machine link due to GeoCities closing)
Masayuki Koba's X11 version
iPhone version
Neko games
- Online games employing Neko
Neko x64
- Links to Windows x64, Dec Alpha & MIPS version of Neko
*http://users.frii.com/suzannem/neko/ - A Neko kitty collection (and download)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neko (Computer Program)
Desktop widgets
Cross-platform free software
Cats in popular culture
