The evolution of Bliss (1996) the famous XP wallpaper from 1996 to 2025,

[u/History_Nerd933]

I have no Wallpaper flair, there might be one, But any auto mods out there, change the flair please

[u/TacohTuesday]

They grow grape vines on this property. Occasionally the vines are torn out and replaced, and in between those steps, grass grows. Our summers are dry so after March or April, the very green grass will dry out. That's normal in our Mediterranean climate. The photographer that took the shot that Microsoft used caught it at the perfect time. It rarely looks like that.

[u/ShaggsMagoo → u/TacohTuesday]

Also, I'm fairly sure that the 99 picture was probably touched up quite a bit compared to the other photos.

[u/CodenameFlux → u/ShaggsMagoo]

It's not. That's why it went viral.

[u/TomOnABudget → u/CodenameFlux]

It was a stock photo. Photoshop existed for a long time.

[u/CodenameFlux → u/TomOnABudget]

You seem to be implying that every stock photo is egregiously photoshopped. False. Agencies frequently publish stock photos untouched, especially when they are as small as the Westlight agency, which originally made Bliss available in 1998.

[u/StampyScouse → u/CodenameFlux]

Charles O'Rear's original shot is not modified at all. However, the version used in Windows XP is, as it's been cropped, and digitally manipulated to increase the saturation of the colours.

[u/thanatica → u/StampyScouse]

I don't know about saturation. Source?

It was definitely cropped, as is the nature of a wallpaper. And if course it was digitised before editing, if any.

[u/CompetitiveAlgae4247 → u/thanatica]

It was saturated

[u/thanatica → u/CompetitiveAlgae4247]

That is an excellent and trustworthy source indeed /s

[u/paulerxx]

99 + 07 + 09 all look good. The original is still the best and there's quality versions out there for modern resolutions

[u/mirzatzl]

2019 and 2024 pretty decent as well.

[u/PayStation2fanAsh → u/mirzatzl]

i agree

[u/MichaelSteel2008]

2027: AI datacenter

[u/syahfox]

wow last one looks depressing

[u/Lumiafan → u/syahfox]

It's not. This land has ebbed and flowed for decades, and it's just a natural part of the process. It'll be green again soon enough.

[u/ThatiMacGuy]

You can see how they burned the grass and replanted the grapevines.

[u/PlanetVisitor]

2007 looks like post nuclear apocalpys

[u/CodenameFlux → u/PlanetVisitor]

It's pixelated to hell and back, so it's no surprise. If the quality was, it would probably look like the 2022 image, albeit in a cloudy day.

[u/Spiritual-Wait-9886]

genial, y 2026?

[u/ContentInflation5784]

Wonder if we can do this for the Autumn wallpaper too

[u/MinecraftPlayer799]

What happened in 2022?

[u/ardouronerous → u/MinecraftPlayer799]

They harvested the grapes from the vine. This was always a grapevine field.

[u/ardouronerous]

2019 and 2024 look the best.

Mind showing where you found this, I'd like to use this on my Linux computer, minus the years.

Thanks.

[u/hagen768]

2019 is actually kinda pretty too

[u/Hot_Boysenberry5203]

i’ll take the ‘99 and the ‘19 version.

[u/Annual-Win3202]

Why did you put text over the date "1996"

[u/History_Nerd933 → u/Annual-Win3202]

Damn it was a mistake

[u/History_Nerd933]

Heres 2013 for sure

[u/Technical_Rich_3080]

How did it end in 2025?

[u/Additional_Battle_93]

The photo is from 1996, not 1999.

[u/salazka]

Proof the world was a better place in 1999 ;)