Windows XP. For many of you, that may not mention much, but for young people and adolescents who were born in the late 1990s and who knew their first computer in the 2000s, it is a significant memory. This operating system is even one of the favorites of specialists and computer lovers. And if there is something that made him iconic, it is his wallpaper.
If it has long been thought that it was an IT image, the Windows XP wallpaper is actually taken from a landscape that does exist. Indeed, it is the fruit of the work of Charles O'rear, a professional photographer, who captured the landscape of the County County hills in California.
It was in 1998 that he immortalized this landscape when he went to San Francisco and that he wanted to immortalize a landscape which he considered idyllic. A few years later, the shot is spotted by Microsoft who decides to pay “the biggest sum of money for an active photographer” to make it the default wallpaper of Windows XP.
Since then, the digital copy of “Bliss” has often been nicknamed “the most seen photography of all time”.
Windows XP, still active?
In 2001, the Mondé discovered Harry Potter at the Wizarding School, Shrek, The Lord of the Rings: the Community of the Ring and Windows XP. Suffice to say that it was a significant year for an entire generation.
And it is an understatement to say. In January 2006, it was estimated that Windows XP was used by more than 400 million users around the world. But any good thing irreparably has an end and on April 8, 2014, thirteen years after its marketing, Microsoft announced the stop of the support for its iconic operating system.
But, it would seem that irreducible are still there and that it is still acclaimed today. Indeed, in November 2024, the number of computers was still turning under Windows XP at 5.5 million. This is explained in particular by its extreme ease of taking it in hand.
However, it is important to recall that Microsoft having stopped the support of Windows XP, the operating system can be subject to threats since no update can come to correct or fill the possible flaws.
Even if it means being nostalgic, you might as well do it safe. So, if your current computer, normally under Windows 10 or Windows 11, is quite powerful, you will be able to emulate Windows XP on your machine. Between tradition and modernity, in computer science, we recommend security.
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
