Hexley is the mascot for Apple's open source operating system Darwin. Jon Hooper created the design which was then named after Darwin's assistant who was supposedly called Hexley.
This is a mirror of the homepage of "Hexley" the platypus. Hexley is the mascot for Apple's open source operating system Darwin. This mascot had its genesis on the Darwin-Developers mailing list. Various proposals were put forward by the members of the list, and after much lively discussion everyone settled on a Platypus. Jon Hooper created the design which was then named after Darwin's assistant who was supposedly called Hexley. Learn more about the mistaken identity of Hexley.
The design's copyright belongs to Jon Hooper. There is basically no restriction on copying the design. Jon asks that you use good taste in the use of Hexley and that you try remain on model. It would be preferable if the designs were not altered or modified in order to keep the integrity of the design. Also if a drawing is used he would appreciate a credit either near the image or in your pages credits, whatever is appropriate.
Apple has asked us to let people know that using an apple in conjunction with Hexley is inappropriate since Hexley is not an officially sanctioned logo for Darwin, therefore using an apple is risking the wrath of Apple's trademark lawyers.
Hexley was created in response to a query on the Darwin Developers mailing list that they needed a mascot. This was sometime in the year 2000. A web vote was taken of the various submissions and my platypus was chosen. Some of the other submissions included an Aqua Darwin fish and various devilish modifications of Clarus the DogCow.
Once my platypus was chosen someone suggested that we use "Hexley" as the name of the new mascot since Darwin's assistant was named Hexley. It turns out we were wrong and the person we were referring to was actually Thomas Henry Huxley. Huxley was not Darwin's assistant but was a prominent English biologist in his own right. He was a vociferous defender of Darwin's theories, so much so that he was nick-named "Darwin's Bulldog".
By the time we found out our mistake "Hexley" had escaped into the ether and we felt that it was to late to change the name to "Huxley".
In retrospect we probably should have originally had a Bulldog character, but this just gives us the chance to give Hexley a sidekick. Keep tuned.
The original design also included an apple on Hexley's fork but Apple Computer asked us to remove the apple for legal trademark reasons.
Jon Hooper
Creator of Hexley the Platypus