Contributions from the readers of The Computer Paper.
Here are some of the messages we've received:
(From the designer of the Windows 95 GUI)
Bravo! -- but what about the mysterious laguna sisters and their frolicsome sheep?
Just a quick note to say i enjoyed your Win95 page -- subliminal messages et al. of course, there are
some cloud formations I think you've missed....
mark malamud, lead ui designer of the cairo (and by indirection, the chicago) shell
(From a well-known Microsoftian, who wishes to remain anonymous):
Well, your home page made it to Spencer F. Katt's rumor central. Congratulations! I just read the
article and I have to admit I haven't had time to shut my office door, boot up Windows 95 and stare
at it, but I got a kick out of reading your interpretation of the startup screen. Just keep it fun and don't
get the Justice Department even more pissed off at us.
When I finally stared at it long enough to identify it, I couldn't help but notice that picture of Jimi is also in the "Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" CD's inside sheet. At least we know Microsoft has good taste in music :)
I noticed an additional hidden image in the Win95 startup screen on your page at http://www.tcp.ca/gsb/PC/Win95-Subliminals.html. Just to the left of the trail from the window, there appears to be a man throwing a discus or hammer, such as you would see at the Olympics. Maybe it is just my monitor resolution, but I can see what appears to be his right leg extending down a bit past the last black square on the bottom left of the trail. Do you see it too?
Kyle Schroeder
Looking at the graphic on your page of the startup screen, I think I found another, more sinister
image. Just above the top left corner of the logo's trail, is a skull peeking out from that clump of
clouds. It is about one inch tall and is looking to the right. I don't know if this is just caused by your
capture of the image, but I can definately see one in netscape, although it is less pronounced in my
graphics program. Great article, although I was forced to turn my splash screen off or else I'm afraid I
might go nuts.
Nathan Shafer
in the upper right corner you can see a man's face. He is looking down to the lower left corner, exactly diagonal. The man resembles bill clinton. Take a look, you can clearly see his eyes, nose, and mouth.
I THE GREAT CORNHOLIO HAVE UNCOVERED BILL CLINTON HIDING FROM HILLARY IN A WINDOWS 95 BOX! DON'T WORRY BILL! YOUR SECRET'S SAFE WITH ME!! HAHAHAH!
If you convert Bill Gates to ASCII and add the numbers up you get 663, if you add 3 (the reason you
add 3 is because Bill Gates is Bill Gates the third) the sum totals to 666.
If you convert MS DOS 6.2.1 to ASCII and add the numbers up you get 666.
If you convert Windows 95 to ASCII and add the numbers up you get, guess what? 666. Just thought
I'd let you know :)
It's amazing how, when someone suggests that something is there, it's not hard to see. I believe that the kind of imagery Bob suggests, e.g., heroic, mythic, powerful, etc., are exactly the kind of images that a company would WANT to have associated with its products, whether or not the art director consciously did it or not.
There is a depiction of oral sex on the screen, too. You see what you want to see, I guess. ;-)
Bob,
Have you noticed that the horse's head is actually also a naked woman who is either "having it on" or
giving herself sexual pleasure!! Also with the man, to the left of the Windows95 logo there are two
hands that are cupped over something. It appears to me that these hand belong to the man who is on
top of a woman and holding her boobs!!! One more for your files! Directly to the right of the Win95
logo there seems to be another face with fine detail of eyes, nose etc.! That is all for the moment, hope
you get this soon!! Good luck in future projects.
Yours Interneterly
David R.
Dear Bob,
We here in Canton, Ohio believe your theories and worship you as our God. There are strange and
odd occurances in windows 95, and our eyes have been opened.
Thank you for sharing your insight on the net with us.
Sincerely, Denise and Travis
write us at: djm3pl@eagle.starkk12.oh.us -or- tkf2pl@eagle.stark.k12.oh.us
In a message entitled "Weirdo"
(typos have been preserved to capture the flavor of the original):
Iv'e never read so much crap in all my life. Just thought I`d let you know what I think of your so called hidden messages. I think you have to be on drugs to come up with these stupid stories. There are images in the flames of Fires and in the clouds. Don`t write such crap.
Chris
(Most original spelling)
Interseting theroys, I would like to see some of the responses from other people. You wouldn't happen to have any Mac OS sublininal theroys would you???
Microsoft is trying to give out eternal life
Originally forwarded to those cool people who made that scary file...
Okay...My friend and I came up with this theory about windows. My friend is this freak who can take
a word, turn it upside down, and backwards and give the result. We all are scared of Microsoft so
one day we came up with this:
Windows Ninety Five = Anij htauiu smoquim
Now if you chant these and concentrate....you get this.
Anij htauiu smoquim = Age until you smoke them
Pretty spooky...
Made by: Wazm Hippe
Okay, I was reading the article by Bob Loblaw, entitled "Subliminal Messages in Windows 95?", and at the end there was a comment, "what happens if you display the file backwards?", so I did. If you take the background file, CLOUDS.BMP, and flip it vertically and the horizontally, and look right smack in the middle, in the blue area, you will notice what appears to be a naked man, atonomically correct, slightly bent forward.
And one last thing... I'd like to point out that
1) The people who designed this graphic have VERY sick minds... and
2) Thanx to you people and your damn article, every time I start my freakin' computer I'm going to
see these two people having sex!
Sincerely, -Tim F.
Cuckoo for cocoa puffs man. Whoa.....
Fred
The horse, of course, is easy to see and quite obvious. As far as the rest of them go, I am having a difficult time discerning them from the rest of the drawing, probably due to my dyslexia.
Have you made any outline sketches as a reference for people like me who may be spatially deficient? If you have, you might put them up on your home page. Although I can't see all of the images that you say are imbedded within the Windows 95 logo, I wouldn't put it past Microsoft for conducting such a clandestine experiment with people. After all, today's people are tomorrow's consumers.
Mark R.
We're always interested in hearing your own Subliminal Conspiracy Theories
We will pass your comments onto his Bobness. (Gee, we thought he was just kidding. ;-)
Maybe it's not all make-believe..?
Have you seen the small, really obvious face just to the right of the middle of the screen of the file
CLOUDS.BMP?
It's quite obvious that IBM sees that subliminals create good press, as their new Warp "Win95-to-Warp Migration kit" page has a cloudy background that is chock full of strange-looking clouds.
The logo on the Gateway 2000 ads is 666, the sign of the beast!
We've had many people say the image of native Washingtonian Jimi Hendrix is the most obvious "hidden picture." Here are some messages from Hendrix spotters....
Those are the only two that are really clear to me. Funny how the mind makes us see things. I can basically see the oral sex thing you mention, although I'm not sure it is intentional. Heck, I'm not sure any of it is intentional. Thanks.
Don't Look Up
I see the birds and Jimi but the rest is kinda odd...
Frank
Need Proof?
...by the way, the EXACT picture of Jimi Hendrix that is in the Win95 screen happens to be in this
month's GUITAR magazine, on the first page of the Jimi feature.
...You DID notice that the files were obviously retouched from the original image in the FUNSTUFF directory, didn't you?
Hello Bob, my name is Corey, I'm taking a senior psychology course on popular delusions, and we are studying subliminal messages right now in class. I'm trying to find as much info on this as I can, so if you know if any other sites please e-mail me.
ps. I did see the large bird but I couldn't see the dark horse.
The only thing I am able to see in that image is the horse. I tried for about an hour, but I can't see the
others. The hardest one to see is Hendrix.
Mike -----
Of course, we've had plenty of letters telling us that Bob's a loonie, on drugs, etc., etc. Here are a few of our favorites:
I'm not sure if you take your own words seriously, but I see nothing in the clouds and probably the picture is more in the head of the viewer and not on the screen. Anyway - it was funny.
I'm sorry but I don't see anything. I do have sudden urges to by Microsoft products, but that is because they are the best.
A.M.
What do you think the purpose of having these subliminal messages is?
Jason Moore MooreJas@ESUVM1.Emporia.edu
EXCELLENT BOB ,
I may run out and get my own copy. Mr Gates will appreciate that. Let's see some more.
Roy or Ruth Bachellier
From a Concerned Web Friend Bob,
I think you need a SERIOUS VACATION! If anyone has enough time on their hands, I guess you
can pretty well read something into just about anything. I wish I had all the spare time that you must
have had to sit around and dream up the ideas RE; sub. mssgs. in 95'.
I might have been able to take that time and put it to good use like making money in my own business, or taking a very much deserved and long over due vacation w/my lovely wife & kids. But I'm just a working stiff that happened to stumble across your website tonight. And I gotta tell ya' Bob, TAKE A VACATION BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!!!
And after you get back, clean up that useless website before the whole world thinks you've gone
bonkers. Start a business, or a penpal club. You'll feel much better then.
And if you ever need to talk to someone just remember that theres tons of support groups out there
for guys just like you.
Well good luck Bob. I hope you take my advice.
Sincerely w/Better things to do,
A Concerned Web Friend
Well, I read your page, but I feel obliged to point out to you the realitively transparent nature of your
page. You seem to think we are all total morons. Your name, Bob, spelled backwards creates boB,
strangely reminecent of a Microsoft product.... You are clearly a dupe for Microsoft, trying to sell
more of their products with this publicity. And you last name? B._LobLaw, or B._LL- AHA! A
sideways i! Now we know who you really are. Who else would have a first name of Bill, hide it, and
then try to get free Microsoft advertising! And I personally vow to stop you... right after I have a few
more beers!
cyb@sunline.net,Internet