Overview

The Infinite Loop is a prominent OS-tan faction representing Apple in The Mainframe. As one of the three most influential factions, they have long been regarded as the epitome of glamour and style in the eyes of the general public. However, their relationship with the Windows-tans has become strained with the transition to ARM processors, marking the third architecture switch in Mac-tan history. This move aligns them more closely with the successful iPhone and iPad-tans.

In 2019, there were concerns that macOS Catalina-tan, the latest addition to The Infinite Loop, would bring about purges and disruptions. The debut of Catalina-tan was met with apprehension by many. However, it turned out that Catalina was easier to Hackintosh on unsupported Mac models compared to Mojave, easing some of the worries.

In late 2019, Rhapsody-tan and the remaining Classic Mac-tans made the decision to leave The Infinite Loop. It's important to note that their departure was unrelated to the actions of macOS Catalina-tan.

Throughout its existence, The Infinite Loop has undergone several name changes, reflecting the separate lineages that form the faction: Pre-Macintosh, Classic Mac, PowerPC, Intel, and Silicon. The Pre-Macintosh lineage is based on the Apple I, II and II, while the Classic Mac lineage is based on the System 1 and 9 operating systems. The PowerPC is for the older Mac OS X OSes which were named after big cats. The Intel lineage is based on the Mac OS X operating system, which was powered by Intel processors. The Silicon lineage is based on the macOS operating system, which is now powered by ARM processors.

Members

Current

  • Mac OS X Rhapsody-kun
  • Mac OS X 10.0 Beta-kun
  • Mac OS X 10.1-tan
  • Mac OS X 10.2-tan
  • Mac OS X 10.3-tan
  • Mac OS X 10.4-tan
  • Mac OS X 10.5/10.6-tan
  • Mac OS X 10.7/10.8-tan
  • OS X Mavericks-kun
  • OS X Yosemite/El Capitan-tan
  • macOS Sierra/High Sierra-kun
  • macOS Mojave-tan
  • macOS Catalina-tan

Past

Notes

  • Except for Mac OS X 10.1, the OS X Cat designs used are the ones drawn by 佐登. It is never specified if these designs had distinct personalities so they are expanded on in this fanon.
  • Mac OS 9 and KanjiTalk 7.5's designs are the same in this fanon although KanjiTalk 7.5 is instead known as Macintosh System 7.5, noting that KanjiTalk 7.5 was released in January 1995, followed by updates nearly in sync with the release of System 7.5.
  • Most Mac versions beyond Catalina do not have a character as it is tedious to make new designs for when Apple releases a new version each year. The same can be applied to the iPhones and iPads where there are no characters beyond the iPhone 11. Characters may end up being made eventually but in this current state, no.
  • Some designs such as Yosemite/El Capitan use adapted designs from Operating Superstars with permission.

References and sources