OS-tan Annex Project
The OS-tan Annex Project was started on September 16, 2006 by former OS-tan Collections member C-Chan to create a OS-tan 'universe' to include new OS-tan characters and backstories. The Annex Project is by no means official but is an expanded universe that strives to integrate the new OS-tan characters and backstories with those of other OS-tan artists while still staying faithful to the original OS-tan canon and the work of other artists.
In the Annex Project, OS-tans are grouped into factions not to force political separations on them but rather to better organize them and the storytelling elements and that it would be much easier to remember an obscure OS-tan if she has a group representing her.
As of Jan 10 2011, the Annex Project in its entirety will be ported here. The original forum posts can't be updated anymore because of size constraints the new forum migration imposed, at 20,000 characters, which each of the original posts had already exceeded. The bios in this project are separate from the main articles, and are written in a condensed form and follow the continuity and 'canon' of this particular OS-tanverse.
There are 9 current factions plus a category for deceased OS-tans, and Wanderer Class for unaligned OS-tans making for a total of 11 categories, not counting former factions.
Current Factions
Windows Family
The richest and most influential OS-tan faction of all, The Windows Family has all but monopolized the consumer market, their company having secured a Pax Micrsoftica for nearly 20 years. No other faction in recent history has so successfully matched the aggressive marketing tactics, scorched-earth policy towards rivals and wide appeal to the masses that has supported the Family's rise to power. But while the older members appreciate (through experience) the need to get their hands dirty, long-standing peace and prosperity has all but cloistered the newer generation of Windows-tans. They go on about their enjoyable daily lives, secure in the belief that only the Macs present any kind of nuisance, and completely oblivious to the political, economic and tactical maneuverings of parties largely unknown to them.
House of Mac
The second most influential OS-tan faction -- and perhaps the most glamorous in the eyes of the average consumer -- the Mac-tans have long since realized that taking on an economic juggernaut like the Windows Family would be financial suicide. Therefore, following their defeat in the Consumer War of the mid-90's, they stepped up efforts to reorganize around their niche markets and rebuild their two decade-old brand name one loyal customer at a time. Their strategy has so far been success as the Apple brand has had a strong resurgence in the consumer lexicon in recent years. However, this comeback is still primarily white-collar, the Macs not yet ready (or willing) to seek the exposure of the wider masses. The newer Mac-tans, in fact, are so far removed from their down-to-earth roots, that while they remain friendly, intelligent and sophisticated for the most part, they're not adverse to let slip a posh or elitist remark (carelessly, of course!) during idle conversation. That, or engage in the secret, playful activities of the rich and famous.
Binteeji Renmei (Vintage Federation)
The Binteeji Renmei is itself inspired by the remarkable Anime/Manga Haibane Renmei created by Yoshitoshi Abe. It is a non-profit organization dedicated primarily to assisting vintage and abandoned OS-tans, and providing a voice for them in a world that barely remembers them. It was originally conceived by Amiga-tan, having spent several years as a wanderer and witnessing the plight of countless vintage OS-tans (once the marvel of their day) whittling the remainder of their lives in obscurity. However, in a rare bout of compassion by Unix, she provided the funding to help Amiga-tan make the Binteji Renmei a reality, and to this date continues to offer the fledgling faction a token annual stipend.
The Binteji Renmei is not rich by any stretch of the imagination and many of its members are either too outdated to work a decent-paying job or require special assistance. Nevertheless they remain very talented and resourceful individuals, and by binding together as a community they're able to pool their resources far more effectively, as well as discover newfound strengths and motivations. Self-esteem, self-education and self-sufficiency are among the many values that they help each other learn and practice to a fault. Whereas once the organization subsisted entirely on charity, now it's grown and sustained itself to the point where it can offer charity of its own. If not in the form of money, certainly in the form of hope. Hope for any OS-tan resigned to the belief that happiness and belonging are reserved only for the state-of-the-art.
Anti$oft Coalition
A tiny political faction founded by OS/2-tan in the mid 90's and originally meant to challenge the legality of several of the Microsoft Family's business practices. But after further funding cuts, scorn and ridicule by her parent company destroyed any chance of her faction gaining mainstream credibility, she was forced to take it underground and fund it entirely out-of-pocket. As her desperation and anger for the continuous injustice grew, so did the faction's slide towards the use of guerrilla tactics.
Due in part to its low recognition and her notoriously bitter temperament, she's only succeeded in hiring four other members (plus a die-hard fan that she can't seem to shake off). Since these loyal followers possess a string of quirks of their own, and have very questionable combat experience, the once proud A$C is now often derided as a ragtag group of bitter old women (or hags, in less courteous circles). They may get away with petty sabotage or a 1-on-5 ambush, but have a humiliating track record of regularly botching ambitious and often not-so-ambitious attacks.
Even as financial woes grow more and more merciless, OS/2 stubbornly refuses to give up on the A$C and sees no end in sight (short of her own demise).
Linux/Unix Consortium
The largest and strongest faction of all, created from the merger between the ineffectual Linux Union and the tattered remnants of the once-dominant Unix Family. It was cofounded by Unix and Linux-tan, once sworn enemies, now friendly and productive partners working toward a viable future for their kind. The Unix-types bring to the table the experience of a three decade-old dynasty (the long-lasting of all), plus a respectable amount of wealth and a loyal corporate and industrial base. The Linux-types offer a long sought-after infusion of new talent, being spreaders of an admirable ideological doctrine that have garnered them support from a far more diverse consumer, academic and technocratic base across the world. With their combined strength, they are (at least on paper) the most powerful faction in terms of raw strength, numbers and performance stability per capita.
Ironically, the LUC also happens to be the LEAST politically-stable faction of all, as both Unix and Linux-tan were forced to combine two very different cultures too quickly. Staunchly independent spirits, conflicting agendas, flagrant power boasting and polarized ideologies are some of the many problems that bring about almost daily infighting between the members. The problem is aggravated further by frequent returns and departures of members disinterested in a unified front, having preferring instead to add to the medley of splinter factions or opt for the quiet life of a Wanderer.
Nevertheless, the struggle to sort through the chaos continues, and progress has been made to bridge the Linux-Unix divide, as well as create inroads into previously untapped and potentially strong emerging markets. Should the day come when the LUC members settle their differences and agree to form a unified front, the resulting explosion of power and talent (reaching to every corner of the known world) is said to be akin to the awakening of a sleeping dragon.
User Space Gang
The most powerful, successful and longest-standing LUC splinter group ever formed. Originally founded by Plan 9-tan (one of Unix's direct descendants), it began in protest because she did not want to be the heir to the Unix throne during the Unix Wars. While access to the throne and the consequent family fortunes are still of interest to her, the birth of her own daughter ( Inferno-tan) has expanded her ambitions exponentially. Putting it simply, she wishes to convert the tiny gang into the beginnings of a new dynasty -- and the trickling in of other disgruntled Unix-types into her faction have only helped fuel her visions of grandeur.
At least on paper, the User Space Gang shares a few similarities with the Anti$oft Coaltion. But unlike the latter, the User Space Gang has the power, resources and intelligence to be a forced to be reckoned with. They're able to launch rebel attacks against the LUC without fear of (total) annihilation and can certainly reign down destruction against any of the lesser factions foolish enough to stand in their way. Clearly there are no impediments to the formation of a User Space Dynasty why that hasn't happened yet has much to do with the state of the leader's sanity (to say nothing of her daughter's).
DOSSE
More of a club than a faction, all its members reside with other factions and simply convene as the DOSSE when scheduling permits (or the occasion calls for it). Automatic membership is given to all x86 DOS-tans, though other non-GUI OS-tans can join if they're willing to pass through The Trial. The DOSSE's mission is to speak up for the rights and recognition of command line OS-tans everywhere, who are often derided by the consumer class for being not user-friendly enough. They offer free assistance and technical support to fellow sisters in need, maintain their own free BBS and even release a crude (but charmingly-detailed) monthly newsletter. However, since all current DOSSE members are child-types, they don't shy from spending some or all of their meeting time having a little fun. And on occasion, too much fun, and on rare instances, even a little neighborhood mischief.
The DOSSE was first founded by x86 DOS-tans residing at the Binteji Renmei. However, it was not their original idea. The concept was first drafted by an as-yet undisclosed OS-tan over a decade ago, and she clearly supported the idea once it was that someone would make it a reality. Even to this day, she remains the anonymous benefactor to the DOSSE, and it is the hope of all its members that they will meet her one day.
Mainframe Guild
The word "faction" is probably ill-suited since the group is exclusive only to Mainframe OS-tans, the goddesses of the OS-tan Annex Universe. They overlook the workings of the world from behind the scenes. Contact with mortal OS-tans is considered taboo and forbidden (with the exception of former Mainframe-tans who have simply undergone microsizing), and, conversely, many obstacles have been emplaced to prevent mortal OS-tans from accessing the "Mainframe". Therefore, little is generally known about these mysterious OS-tans, other than they are insanely powerful and many are impossibly arrogant. Even less is known about the occasional secret "meddling" in the affairs of mortal OS-tans, which again is forbidden (but perhaps not as well-enforced as it should).
Confederation of Independent OS-tans (CIOST)
Not a true faction in the literal sense, since members don't regularly convene, live together (or even close by) or have any defined territory borders or markets. The Confederation of Independent OS-tans is essentially a mutual defense pact for non-aligned OS-tans, who fiercely defend their own independence and (unlike Wanderers) have agreed to defend the independence of their fellow sisters. A number of its members have had run-ins with Windows, Macs, Unix and Linux-types in the past, so almost no CIOST members are related to any of these factions. Therefore, the CIOST membership boasts an enormous and colorful diversity of OS-tans of all types, trades and personalities. The majority of its members, however, are generally considered (in varying degrees) to be quite powerful, resourceful to an art, and a touch antisocial.
The CIOST was first established by VMS-tan, after witnessing the travesty that became of her involvement with Windows NT. Recognizing the threat posed by well-marketed inferior programming in an ignorant world, the pact was set up as quickly as possible to admit and protect as many of her kind as possible from the ravages of the 90's wars. Sadly, her own hermit-like lifestyle and laissez-faire approach to everything but defense did much to influence the CIOST in becoming the decentralized organization that it remains today. United, the CIOST is powerful enough to shatter the Windows hegemony and even take on the LUC!
But divided, they are neither a threat nor much of an inspiration.
Other Classes
Wanderer Class
Deceased OS-tans
Former factions
But since the world of the OS-tans is constantly changing in the Annex Project storylines, there have also been some former factions including:
Apple Family
Name changed to House of Mac when Apple II retired in 1993.
Microsoft-IBM Family
The Microsoft-IBM Family broke up in 1990.
Commodore Family
Disbanded in 1994 when Commodore went bankrupt.
DEC Military
Disbanded in 1998 when DEC was bought out.