Cowsay

Infobox Software
name = cowsay



caption =
collapsible =
author = Tony Monroe
developer =
released =
latest release version = 3.03
latest release date =
latest preview version =
latest preview date =
frequently updated =
programming language = Perl
operating system = Cross-platform
platform =
size =
language = English
status =
genre =
license = Artistic License / GNU General Public License
website = http://www.nog.net/~tony/warez/cowsay.shtml

Cowsay is a program which generates ASCII pictures of a cow with a message [ [http://linuxgazette.net/issue67/orr.html Linux Gazette Issue 67] ] . It can also generate pictures using pre-made images of other animals. There is also a related program called cowthink, with cows with thought bubbles rather than speech bubbles.

_______________________ < Typical cowsay output! > ----------------------- ^__^ (oo)_______ (__) )/
|----w
| |

.cow files for Cowsay exist which are able to produce different variants of "cows", with different kinds of "eyes", and so forth.cite web
title=Richard Stallman for cowsay
url=http://crunchbang.org/archives/2007/10/05/a-virtual-richard-stallman-for-cowsay-hack/] It is sometimes used on IRC, desktop screenshots, and in software documentation. It is more or less a joke within hacker culture, but has been around long enough that its use is rather widespread. In 2007 it was highlighted as a Debian package of the day.cite web
title=cowsay: a configurable talking and thinking cow
url=http://debaday.debian.net/2007/10/28/cowsay-a-configurable-talking-and-thinking-cow/
date=October 28, 2007
publisher=Debian Package of the Day]

Cowsay is written in the Perl programming language, and as such is easily adaptable to system tasks in Unix, such as telling users their home directories are full, they have new mail, et cetera. Additionally, it is quite adaptable to the Common Gateway Interface. [ [http://www.serverwatch.com/tutorials/article.php/3756151 Serverwatch Article] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.nog.net/~tony/warez/cowsay.shtml Cowsay distribution]
* [http://lxr.linux.no/source/arch/parisc/kernel/traps.c?v=2.6.11#L196 Cowsay in Linux Kernel]
* [http://www.linuxbox.co.uk/cowsay.php CGI frontend to Cowsay]