Windows brings out the Rorschach test in everyone (2003)(devblogs.microsoft.com)
352 points by luu 2 days ago | 136 comments
tl;dr: Microsoft had to redesign the Windows 95 anti-piracy hologram after a government complained that the shirtless baby depicted in it was "naked" (assuming no pants either); the rushed replacement lost its arm animation, making the original a collector's item. Windows XP faced similar complaints, with the Red Moon Desert wallpaper being likened to buttocks, a User Accounts icon compared to Hitler, and a Switch Users cartoon character seen as an obscene body part—all of which had to be changed.
HN Discussion:
  • Praise for Raymond Chen's blog as a valuable source of Microsoft tech lore
  • Sharing personal anecdotes about being sensitive to computer imagery like wallpapers
  • Providing supplementary images/links to visualize the items described in the article
  • Skepticism or mockery of the complainants' interpretations, suggesting oversensitivity reveals more about them
  • Tangential anecdotes about Windows piracy and other software splash screens