1920x1200 The History Behind Microsoft Xp's Вђњbl... -

: Despite popular belief, the image was completely unedited . The vibrant colors were the result of a specific type of Fuji film and the timing—winter rains had turned the hills emerald green, and a brief break in a storm provided the crisp white clouds.

Released on , " Bliss " became the face of the new "Luna" interface, which favored colorful, friendly aesthetics over the grey boxes of earlier versions. 1920x1200 The History Behind Microsoft XP's “Bl...

O'Rear originally uploaded the photo to , a stock photo agency that was later acquired by Corbis , a licensing company owned by Bill Gates. : Despite popular belief, the image was completely unedited

: Because the original film was so valuable, no shipping company would insure it for the full amount. O'Rear had to personally fly to Microsoft’s headquarters in Seattle to hand-deliver the transparency. Cultural Impact O'Rear originally uploaded the photo to , a

: The hill, located in the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area, was temporarily covered in grass because the grapevines had been removed following a phylloxera infestation . Today, the site is once again a working vineyard and looks significantly different. Selection by Microsoft

: While the exact amount is confidential, reports suggest it was the second most expensive license ever paid for a single photograph at the time.

The photograph was captured in by former National Geographic photographer Charles O'Rear . While driving through Sonoma County, California, to visit his girlfriend, O'Rear pulled over along Highway 12/121 to photograph a lush, rolling green hill under a brilliant blue sky.