Miss Windows XP? The OS's iconic default background is back—as an ugly Christmas sweater.
Every year, Microsoft creates an ugly holiday sweater using the company’s retro logos. Last year's model featured Clippy, but this time, Redmond picked Windows XP from the early 2000s.
The result is a pullover that features Windows XP's infamous “Bliss” default background. The bland but warm scenery — including the green hills, blue skies, and white clouds—is now preserved in sweater form for $69.99.
(Credit: Microsoft)Though you may think the Bliss background is a computer-generated image, the wallpaper is from a real photo taken in 1996 in Sonoma County, California. Photographer Charles O'Rear has also denied digitally manipulating the photo. He sold the photo as stock imagery before Microsoft selected it as a wallpaper in Windows XP.
Some users have since tried to recreate the shot. But the area where the original picture was snapped has since become a vineyard. As a result, the green hills are full of grapevines, making it impossible to capture an identical photo. The iconic scenery will have to live on as a memory, whether it be through a digital wallpaper or a sweater.
Interested customers can buy the sweater from the Xbox store. But they should act fast; Microsoft says it will only be available in limited quantities. Proceeds from the sale will help support the Nature Conservancy, a group dedicated to protecting the environment.
