Man spends year searching for the actual source of a Windows XP wallpaper

zekrahminator · Feb 24, 2007

Someone has dedicated the past year of their life to searching for a very simple thing: the actual place where a Windows XP wallpaper was shot. New York resident Nick Tosches took one look at "Autumn", and knew he wanted to find the place where Microsoft photographers got the picture. He searched long and hard, calling Microsoft PR's, inn owners, and local farmers. He eventually found the background "just west of Toronto in the Burlington suburb of Kilbride". In regards to his search, Tosches says "It was insane. Something that would appear very simple at first probably turned out to be one of the most difficult searches of my life." The picture of the actual Windows XP background is below.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

L|NK|N · Feb 24, 2007

obsess much? Now thats dedication!

BXtreme · Feb 24, 2007

1 year, woah, now that's curiosity imo, and nice to see ms has many things that attract ppl

Frogger · Feb 24, 2007

that's just done the highway from my house... next time i'm out that way going to have a look and see if it still looks the same or if they cut down the trees .. to build a condo..

Dark Ride · Feb 24, 2007

His shot looks fake. The pictures are 100% identical, which is impossible.

zekrahminator · Feb 24, 2007

There are less leaves in the second one, the lighting is different...either that or I should get rid of the second picture and we can pretend it never happened

.

BXtreme · Feb 24, 2007

well, it can be photoshopped, but someone's find must not be doubted like that, as i'm doing lol, j/k.

ghost101 · Feb 24, 2007

The shots are identical. Look at visible branches above. The exact same ones. The leaves' positions are also identical.

edit: ive reread the article, the one to the right is actually the wallpaper.

zekrahminator · Feb 24, 2007

Alright I'll make second picture go away

.

Dark Ride · Feb 24, 2007

I figured it out by reading the original article on The Star. The second picture is the original picture shot by Peter Burian in October 1999. The XP Wallpaper version is the same picture, only cropped and the colors/contrast is adjusted.

Guttboy · Feb 24, 2007

This was on the AM station I listen to driving to work...they stated he went all over and ended up discovering from Microsoft's assistance..the Canadian photographer that took the photo. When they got in touch he was provided with the photographers information and made contact. The rest is the ..... end of the road...LOL

Alcpone · Feb 24, 2007

Its a pretty picture, if I would spend a year of my life looking for it, I dont think sooo...

Why didnt he use his brain abit better and try and find who the photographer was from the start, would of saved alot of time and money!

Jess Stingray · Feb 24, 2007

Hmm.. he must really of liked that picture.

killatia · Feb 24, 2007

my god how bored was this guy?

WarEagleAU · Feb 24, 2007

Beautiful picture, but I think this just goes to show how bad Obsession can be.

J0N · Feb 24, 2007

At least he was only stalking trees. I'd prefer he stalked trees instead of little girls.

Completely Bonkers · Feb 24, 2007

What TWO pictures are you comparing?

Because the picture in the STAR article is the same as the picture on techpowerup. Only color differences. And when you go to VANITY FAIR ONLINE you get to TWO versions of the picture. ONE of them was licensed from MS. The others were not.

Don't confuse the guy who wrote the article with the original photograhper.

Article: Nick Tosches
Photo: Peter Burian

AND

There wasn't a fanatic looking for the picture for a YEAR. It a misunderstanding of the article. The guy that was looking for the picture IS A JOURNALIST... who happens, on business, to go all over the world... and names some nice places... and HE PHONED MS to get the name of the photographer.

This is NOT A NEW ITEM. It is just journalism. It should be removed from techpowerup.

WHAT IS HAPPENDING TO THE QUALITY OF THE NEWS ITEMS!!!! OMG
Different guys!

regan1985 · Feb 24, 2007

Could Have Just Asked The Bloody Fool Lol

Guttboy · Feb 25, 2007

I liked Zek's article....dont have a problem with that here at times at all. Just my 2.5 centavos....

newtekie1 · Feb 25, 2007

And to think, he could have been using that time looking for something much more useful, like my damn car keys...

spectre440 · Feb 25, 2007

some people just have WAY too much time on their hands...

instead of like... finding a cure for cancer, or working on an alternative fuel source, or something like that, they spend their time tracking down places like this...

though, you gotta appriciate the determination this guy had and the time he put in.

NympH · Feb 25, 2007

The man with no life!

Pinchy · Feb 26, 2007

and this is why America's unemployment rate is high

j/k

FLY3R · Feb 27, 2007

Frogger said:
that's just done the highway from my house... next time i'm out that way going to have a look and see if it still looks the same or if they cut down the trees .. to build a condo..

It says you live in canada lamoafo, a bit far away, any hoot, wuts at the end of the path?

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Man spends year searching for the actual source of a Windows XP wallpaper

zekrahminator

McLovin

L|NK|N

BXtreme

New Member

Frogger

Dark Ride

zekrahminator

McLovin

BXtreme

New Member

ghost101

zekrahminator

McLovin

Dark Ride

Guttboy

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Alcpone

Jess Stingray

killatia

WarEagleAU

Bird of Prey

J0N

New Member

Completely Bonkers

New Member

regan1985

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Guttboy

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newtekie1

Semi-Retired Folder

spectre440

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NympH

Pinchy

FLY3R

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