Wallpaper legend on Windows XP once: Microsoft paid more than $ 100,000 in 2000, up to now is as good as ever

Wallpaper with a simple structure, viewed from a corner of the hill with lush green lawns, clouds of sky and blooming dappled flowers, actually became a legend on Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system. It is estimated that more than one billion people have seen this Bliss (Happiness, PV) photo since 2001.

With bright and harmonious colors, many people believe that the image is the product of technology software. But in fact, this is a mechanical photo of American author Charles O’Rear, a photographer who used to work for National Geographic.

He took the picture in January 1996, on the way from his house to his girlfriend (later his wife) in the Napa and Sonoma regions in California (USA). As he passed the winemaking area in the Napa valley, Charles stopped to take a picture of the green grass hill after the rain, above the clear blue sky, white clouds.

Later, he uploaded a photo trading site, Westlight. 2 years later, Bill Corbis of Bill Gates acquired Westlight. Of the thousands of photos posted on Westlight, Bliss has been chosen as the default wallpaper of Windows XP due to the characteristics that fit into the “philosophy” of this operating system.

Charles and his brainchild. Photo: Profimedia.

Because Bliss was originally a film camera, the FedEx shipping service did not guarantee the insurance money because the value of the photo was too large, Microsoft sent an airplane ticket to invite author Charles to headquarters to get the original photo. Charles did not specify how much Microsoft paid for the photo, but later it was widely believed that the photo was paid more than $ 100,000 in 2000.

Over the years, there have been many comments that this work is digitally edited but it is not. The main reason for creating sharp images is perfect shooting conditions from time, weather, location, location … to the angle. When Microsoft bought the copyrights, its engineers only made the blue in the image richer.

Later, many tourists and photographers are curious to find out where Bliss was born when they learned the story of the legendary Windows desktop. Although the owner changed many times and became a grape growing hill, the scenery is basically not too different from the original photo of Charles author.

In 2012, amateur photographer David Clark commented on Bliss: “Many critics say this photo is monotonous and lacking in focus, but it can actually wake up a clear day. , bright and a great view, that’s the subject of the photo “.

He also noted that the “magical nature” of the sunlight on the hillside is what makes the image different. “What made Microsoft choose this picture over all the other photos?” he asked the question. Although Microsoft has never revealed the reason, Clark thinks he can guess. “It is very attractive, easy to look at and does not distract people from other things on the screen as the main reasons. It may also have been chosen because it is an incredibly luring landscape image. , and is a photo that feels good for computer users who are tied to their desks. ”

Even though it is 2020, Bliss hill has been fortunate to retain the same shape as 24 years ago, still green, as large as that day.

“Bliss” version 2020. Photo: Reddit.

For his part, photographer Charles still keeps a copy of the photo on his wall. In 2017, he partnered with Lufthansa in a project to create background images on mobile phones. Obviously, however, these photographs could not overcome Bliss ‘s success.