Some Bliss/XP lore: "Apparently it’s real! To commemorate the end of support for Windows XP, Microsoft made a video about the photographer who took the iconic picture. Chuck O’Rear got the image in southern Sonoma County, north of San Francisco. He took it on a Mamiya RZ67 camera with color Fuji Film and a tripod. O’Rear explains in the video: There was nothing unusual. I used a film that had more brilliant colors, the Fuji Film at that time, and the lenses of the RZ67 were just remarkable. The size of the camera and film together made the difference and I think helped the Bliss photograph stand out even more. I think if I had shot it with 35 millimeter, it would not have nearly the same effect. O’Rear visits the original site, talks about the dangerous, winding roads in the area, and discusses the process he went through to sell Microsoft the photo. Even then, before anyone in the public had ever seen it, Microsoft valued it so highly that O’Rear couldn’t find a courier service willing to take the liability of transporting it. Eventually Microsoft paid for a plane ticket so he could carry the photo himself to their offices."

@chrisnielsen9885

13 күн бұрын

I am 99% sure he used Velvia 50. That is why it's so saturated and why the clouds are blown out since Velvia has a famously tragic lack of latitude

@thomasvleminckx

13 күн бұрын

@@chrisnielsen9885 These are the words of the photographer himself. The saturation was added in post by Microsoft. You can see the original photo on his website

@chrisnielsen9885

13 күн бұрын

@@thomasvleminckx If you haven’t shot velvia you probably think the saturation was added but that’s why photogs shot that film because it was wildly colorful

@thomasvleminckx

13 күн бұрын

@@chrisnielsen9885 I KNOW the sat was added in post because the photographer said so. You keep speaking authoritatively about his, in direct opposition to the guy who actually made and sold the photo. No offense, but I'll take his word over yours

@chrisnielsen9885

12 күн бұрын

@@thomasvleminckx sure. I’m only speaking from a position of having shot Velvia for 20 years. What could I possibly know about how it reproduces color, right?

We were blessed to grow up without a smartphone in our hand since birth. The world was different. Things were simpler. Technology has advanced society, but we've also lost something. We've paid a great price for 24/7 phones in our pocket, social media every second, and an internet dominated by commerce and control. I said something similar on another Retrovex video. Shout out to all the 80's and 90's kids out there. Life was better.

@SproutyPottedPlant

13 күн бұрын

Every iPhone has GarageBand for free and the option not to install TikTok, Android phones can emulate almost any old computer your heart desires and the camera could capture the next ‘Bliss’ so it can’t be all bad 😊

@Pelagon

13 күн бұрын

@@SproutyPottedPlant It's true, the degree to which some fields which were only accessible to the rich and connected (film, music, etc.) have opened up is amazing. Hopefully some day we'll reach an equilibrium with all of the other things that have come along with it.

@fus132

13 күн бұрын

@@SproutyPottedPlant iPhone is a walled garden, TikTok was so bad it had to be banned, good luck typing out DOS commands on a virtual keyboard, and the cameras are there only to make selfies, cat, and food photos for Instagram (also data collection).

@karolyburkhalter

12 күн бұрын

Yeah now we are all a bunch of addicts. I used to switch smartphone with a caterpillar b30 (a dumb phone) for years and was happy. Now for travel reasons I got back Instagram and smartphone but honestly I'm not happy. Much better without! When I go back I'll surely return to caterpillar. It's some kind of fake light, I call it ''the luciferi effect'', lucifer mean ''light bringer'', but it's a fake light, a scam. When you touch that light you get scammed and you become addicted, this is what happen with Smartphone, we were blinded by that light because it was insanely attractive. I agree anyway, but isn't all, think when you was a kid and perhaps you used to play ps2, mostly of us couldn't play online so bring a friend at home and play togheter and that was a magic moment. Now modern kids plays from their own homes together and isn't the same thing. Our brain has been atrophied with all this scrollling thing, dopamine addictions, ecc..Also I still remind as a kid that magic moment with Windows xp.

@hal5474

12 күн бұрын

And the 00's!

I am from 90s, man, I wish I could have a chance to experience these golden times once again. World has become so filled with new technology and all that allegedly important stuff yet when you look back in the past, everything was much more simple and genuine... I really miss those times...

I have tears in my eyes. I was so hyped to hear the Windows XP ambience theme and it's even BETTER than I'd imagined it would be. I believe in humanity again, if only for a little while. Thank you so much for making this, Retro. God speed. I'm going to rest in the eternal bliss.

Windows XP has been and will always be my favorite OS forever

This episode was greatly inspired by the early 2000s, the hopeful future, and the early days of the frutiger aero aesthetic. 5:22 The Bubbles were inspired by the frutiger aero stock images and i decided to credits my supporters in them to show my gratitude. Having nearly lost my hearing in my right ear, it took a big toll on me and resulted in me not being able to finish this sooner, but after getting better, I had a whole new view on life, how things can always get bad, but eventually things will bounce right back up. I felt like a new born, full of inspiration, and will, to create meaningful and creative projects, and I definitely don't take things for granted now, every time i am able to hear now I smile, I feel so grateful that I have the ability to experience not only my works but everyone else's, a world without sound would be soul crushing for me. So this is my message in this episode, no matter how bad it gets, there's always a modicum of hope that things will eventually turn for the better 💙 kzread.info/dash/bejne/pJ6h25WeeZupfps.html here is the original message intro before the cut. thought it'd be better to separate it to keep the relaxation of the xp intact for your daily needs 💙

@Elle_Nero

14 күн бұрын

I think the 9-11 stuff would be best put in a separate video, as it doesn't really fit the chill vibe you're going for. Thanks again for the chat earlier, and I'm really glad you're feeling better. :)

@PingerSurprise

13 күн бұрын

This is a beautiful message for a beautiful video. Thank you.

you are missed. truly the greatest operating system of all time.

Eagerly waiting for this one, I've loved listening to the windows 95 and 98 videos!

@RetrovexAmbient

17 күн бұрын

thank you! be sure to check out the other episodes if you want to catch up with the lore/story! :D 💙

@Loujemouse

14 күн бұрын

@@RetrovexAmbient There's LORE?! :0

@djr4886

14 күн бұрын

Same! I have a dedicated playlist for them that I listen to at work haha

Dude you're getting a Dell!!! 🙌

College. Still got my HP Pavilion with 60 GB hard drive, 512 MB of RAM, 56k modem, 10/100 ethernet, DVD-ROM drive, and built-in WiFi card. Most laptops at the time needed a separate card inserted to achieve wireless connectivity. XP was a joy to use. How time flies!

There is one thing that is better today and that is now we can use PCs and smartphones to create high quality, beautiful music that take us on a journey to the past for a much more reasonable price ❤

I miss how comfy, nice, straight to the point and no bs XP was. Since then it's been mostly bells and whistles but at its core, XP had all the fundamentals of a perfect OS. Awesome ambient track and the perfect nostalgic trip I didn't know I needed.

I grew up on 95/98 then went to school on XP and somehow in 2014 as a senior, they still were running XP at my local high school. Seeing that California hill default background will always be a happy place.

@thomasvleminckx

6 күн бұрын

What's funny is that in the Dutch version of XP, Bliss is titled "Ierland" (Ireland). Someone at Dutch Microsoft didn't do their homework!

This track slaps...in a very blissful way.

love it or hate it, xp had the most consistent UI out of all windows versions

I was born in 2002 and when i used to go to primary school we used to have windows xp as operating systems. Even though the support for xp ended in 2014 and we canr use it anymore (except for some bank machines) i like to go on KZread and watch some windows xp related videos. Recently my mom bought me a new laptop (due to my old laptop from 2015 gwtting oldee amd dustier by the day) amd i made it to look like windows xp. Icons, stsrt menu, etc etc. I also remember my dad having a windows xp back in the day and playinf solitaire in his bedroom while having techno music in the background. Those were the days. May windows xp's legacy live on. 2001-2014.

@JoBot__

9 күн бұрын

My grandpa gave me an old laptop from 2004 fairly recently and to my surprise, it was actually a pretty much completely functional Windows XP machine. :D It was basically a time capsule of the late 2000s when I received it as that was when it was last seriously used. The battery is also somehow not dead. The whole thing is in shockingly nice condition and it's an excellent addition to my collection.

@adammuncy8475

9 күн бұрын

Technically Microsoft was still supporting XP as late as around 2018 for the US Navy, however, it cost like $9 million a year to pay for it. And I guess there was a British Royal Navy ship running Windows ME around the same time frame

Can you spot all the Clippy appearances? 📎👀

@TheBrettEnglish

13 күн бұрын

X that mf

@c0smoKram3r

13 күн бұрын

Was clippy in Office XP? 🤓

Takes me back to 2002, watching my parents computer loading up slowly with windows media player automatically opening up playing "Like Humans Do" by David Byrne. I immediately closed it and played me some 3D pinball or some Sonic games that my uncle bought before getting exposed to the internet. Nostalgia. Good memories.

Windows XP was as far as my father made it in this world before leaving in 2004 after 74 years. As an IT person it's strange to think of one's parents like this, but I'm glad he got to experience a glimpse of what computers were going to be like at such an optimistic time.

So. Many. Feels. Reminds me of summer 2002

Its like looking through a window into the past, of fuzzy warm memories of a simpler time. The wars in 2003 sadly changed everything.

@thomasvleminckx

7 күн бұрын

Yes, that *other* time a global superpower invaded a smaller country on false pretenses.

Excellent timing, I just made some changes to make my Windows 10 look like Windows XP

@RetrovexAmbient

17 күн бұрын

Based💙

@JustinK0

14 күн бұрын

ive had mine look like win98 for a while haha

@RetrovexAmbient

14 күн бұрын

@@JustinK0 now im curious how thatd look on w10, hahah, what tools did you use?

@MentalParadox

12 күн бұрын

@@RetrovexAmbient Not to answer for him, but I for one used Open Shell. It also allows you to disguise your Windows 10/11 as Windows 98.

@smolmuffin

10 күн бұрын

I have Retrobar running on 11 with an XP toolbar skin (also has the classic bubble for usb errors + eject which is nice) and knew complete reskinning was possible but it seemed daunting. Wonder if I could approach without screwing up my computer... or maybe I am overthinking it.

This is the vision of the past that Windows XP gave us. And hopefully this is where it rests now after its demise.

YES FINALY 💚

Maybe in heaven God can let us have Windows XP back and laugh at Microsoft about it.

@thomasvleminckx

7 күн бұрын

it ever went away if you kept your install discs

Absolute madlad. These Nostalgic Soundscapes are unironically some of the best ambient I've ever heard. The memories...

Section through 20:10 to 21:16 is absolutely beautiful

BEST OS THEY EVER HAD!

When Windows 10 starts taking lysergic acid and reminisce about its youthful XP days.

1 minute 10 seconds in and I can already tell this is a masterpiece Thank you, I really needed this

Parts of this remind me of Roger Daltrey's version of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" from _The Lost Boys_ soundtrack, so much so that I found myself singing it in my head!

Retrovex, your video has inspired me. This morning I dusted off my "old" 2016 computer, which still had Windows 7 on it. I wiped it, and using an original Windows XP install disc purchased by my dad in 2004, installed XP. It's amazing. Looks and feels exactly the way I remember. And it's all still there. MSN Messenger is installed by default. Windows Media Player is still the cool one you can customize with all sorts of skins. And the desktop... pure "bliss". I still have a few kinks to iron out (upgrading to SP3, getting internet to work, finding audio drivers), but it already looks so good. This will sound dramatic, but it felt like coming home.

Remember This Hill with the Internet Explorer sign on it especially with the island with the Three Palm Trees.

AMAZING, can't wait frutiger aero - vista ambient.

You always surprise me with your creativity, keep up 🖤🤘

You are a treasure! Glad you're back and feeling well.

That's just absolutely gorgeous. 💙💚🤍

Reminds me of the film Demolition Man where, in the future, they play this serene sound like in your video and all is well.

Amazing man, keep up the good work. So Nostalgic

XP was a head of its time

recently I set up a windows xp machine after enjoying your soundscapes so this is a nice turn of events

It's glorious. I do feel better while listening:-)

I was looking forward to this one!

That intro gives me goosebumps every time.

I CAN´T WAIT FOR IT 💛💚💙❤

@RetrovexAmbient

15 күн бұрын

ME TOO! 🤍🤍💙💙💚💚💛💛

I've found peace.

These are inventive, and enjoyable! Nice work!

Wow!

so much fun watching this!

This is the one I was waiting for. Your crowning achievement. I love your ambience soundscapes and this is my new favorite. You're the GOAT.

Oh no. Retrovex did it again, with the operating system that I personally have a lot of fond memories from my earliest childhood days. Suppose I'll be working on my portfolio website with this in the background, eh?

Thank You.

Very excited about this one! After this, will you continue this series? Maybe with a Windows Vista Frutiger-Aero inspired episode?

@RetrovexAmbient

14 күн бұрын

Tis a secret 🤫

@v1p1991

13 күн бұрын

@@RetrovexAmbient Sony Playstation ambience? Retro-consoles inspired soundscapes? (:

This is exactly how i imagined it, my childhood! I imagine Vista or 7 is probably next?

Man... what a September that was in the beginning. I still vividly remember (as a kid) how global connectivity paused for quite a while after. Really one of those world-changing moments.

Clippy: “It looks like you’re trying to write a letter, need some help?” Me: “Urge to kill, rising!”

Thank you for this, here because a friend linked me to your Windows 2000 one and was hoping there was an XP version too. Found it! XP was one of the main operating systems of my childhood, had an offline tower that I would play any cd game my father had around the house or bought for me in 2008. A good mix of educational games, and RCT + RCT2 mainly, but really enjoyed messing around with Powerpoint and Word. Pinball was great. Sadly the tower went to a family member right before we moved. Really don't remember the early 2000s because I was the last born of last century, but so far this feels like home.

Amazing !

As someone that grew up with Windows 98, and had used Windows 3.11 and 95 as well, it makes me feel old to realize that XP is over 20 years old now. People who were little kids when they used it as their first OS are now adults. I guess I was practically a kid myself... would have been around 15 when it got released. I actually had to look it up, I did not realize it was 2001. It had a rough start though, it was very bloated for the PCs at the time. It took a couple service packs, and hardware manufacturers catching up, for it to be usable. It was at least a few years later that I actually upgraded to it myself.

Can't wait :)

Wow what a cool video. Sounds wonderful too.

this is wonderful

Another great job! 😀

This is perfect

masterpiece

Best one you've done!

great job! I love it!

Thanks!😌

@RetrovexAmbient

13 күн бұрын

💙 Thank YOU!

Great RetroVX! There are some excellent premises!

Absolute perfection. I love this one. Now I cannot wait to hear Longhorn

I love the 95 and 98 versions, and this is one of the best ones you've done. Thank you.

Amazing. I listen to these everyday.

Yes, yes, yes !!!

Youve been making incredible stuff. I have loved this series! Great message as well.

Epicness to the fullest

Gonna be epic

This was exactly what I needed when I needed it most. Been looking forward to XP and it's somehow more beautiful than I was hoping for. Thank you for this.

These are very relaxing. Please do one for Windows Vista next.

You are doing great work !! As much on the audio and the video.

This series has been a masterpiece! Such a great find in 2024. Keep up the fantastic work!

In comparison to the welcome themes that were before and followed the XP one (without mentioning the piano) is the must lush, deep and has quite a bit of bass to it. I can remember my Logitech 5.1 and Creative Soundblaster giving me frights and delights at startup when the volume had been left right up.

Espera mucho tiempo por este ambiente. gracias.

Absolutely beautiful music my fren,brings back old memories 😢

A triumph!

When this comes to Bandcamp, can you make a version available without any SFX? I'd love to hear the music completely isolated like the previous two ❤

remember when using computers was an offline experience. i think it was better. no distractions, just you and the system, exploring the mysteries of the system. no search engine to hold your hand. if you couldnt get something working, it was like this big mystery trying to figure out which part of the system to go into and solve it. and then when you solved it your family would think you're such a genius and a computer whiz kid

Hearing this makes me feel young again😊

I cried hearing this. This brings tears to my eyes, remembering my old family pc when I was four. Life hits different now as a 14 year old

Loved this! Been looking forward to it's release. Had no idea you were facing hearing problems! I do hope that you continue this series with Windows Vista and Windows 7, as they were the last ones to really have "iconic" sounds to them. Whatever you work on next though, I will 100% give it a listen!

That's a very good soundscape, nice background, and that music reminds me a bit of Jean-Michel Jarre's "Waiting for Cousteau". It's awesome and good work.

@novaflareq4788

13 күн бұрын

Fellow "Waiting for Cousteau" fan here. Can agree.

You should really do other OS based videos and video game consoles after this. Wonderful work 😊

This is amazing! 🎉

@RetrovexAmbient

13 күн бұрын

🙏💙 thank you sincerely!

This is the ambient video that I was waiting for! I'll add it to my old MP3 player for listening while sleeping :)

@magomedmakhmudov2945

16 күн бұрын

same :)

@mauriziofaggion

16 күн бұрын

I thought I was the only one who still had one!

Such a sad beginning 😞 I had forgotten XP only came out a month after

Babe, we have guests coming over. Please put on the new Retrovex Ambient

Vista one is going to be interesting!

If THIS was the sound it made when you used it, it would be an Apple product LOL. It would cure everyone's headache in the conference about the release of the new MacOS too...

😇😇

OMG❤❤❤

Im crying