Links Pick / Software

December 11, 1999 / Some alleged hidden software "Easter Eggs"

My testing shows a few of these work, some don't. See my notes after each item. Let me know if you get different results.

For Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.0:

 1. Type: <!-- introducing the Trident team --> into notepad. Type only that.
2. Open the file in MSIE 5.0 and meet the design team.
[NOTE: I couldn't get this to work.]

For Word 97:

 1. Type "I want" then follow it with anything you want.
2. Highlight the text and choose Thesaurus.
3. One of the results will be "I'll drink to that!"
[Note: This appears to be a rumor as well.]

For Word97:

 1. Create a new document by clicking on the blank page icon in the upper left of the screen.
2. Type the word "Blue" (without the quotes and make sure the B is in caps).
3. Highlight Blue by dragging your mouse over it.
4. Select Format, then Font from the menu bar.
5. Choose the Font tab (it may be chosen already). Select Font Style Bold and Color Blue. The word Blue should change accordingly.
6. Close the Font dialog box.
7. Type a space after the word Blue, followed by a single quote ('), another space, and another single quote. It should look like this: Blue ' '
8. Select Help, then "About Microsoft Word".
9. Click on the Word icon in the upper left-hand portion of the About Microsoft Word dialog box.
10. Ta Da! Pinball!
11. To play, use the Z key as your left flipper and the M key as your right flipper.
12. Escape gets you out of the game. The names that come up are the development team.
[Note: Nope, this doesn't work this way either. Leave out the single quotes, just type a space and then it works.]

For Windows 95:

 1. Create a new folder on the desktop and title it "and now, the moment you've all been waiting for"
2. Rename that folder "we proudly present for your viewing pleasure" When you rename the folder you must click on the icon with the right mouse button and choose Rename.
3. Rename the folder "The Microsoft Windows 95 Product Team!"
4. Open the folder and the credits should be displayed.
[Note: This one didn't work on my Win95 box!]

For Netscape Navigator:

 1. Open Navigator. Make sure you're online.
2. Press the Ctrl, Alt, and F keys at the same time.
3. You'll be taken to the Amazing Fish Cam!
[Note: Couldn't test this one, but I'm guessing it doesn't work.]

For Excel97:

 1. Open a new, blank spreadsheet in Excel.
2. Press F5. The Go To dialog box should appear.
3. In the Go To box, type X97:L97 (no period). Click OK.
4. When the box closes, the fields you just noted should be highlighted.
5. Press the Tab key once.
6. Press the Ctrl and Shift buttons at the same time and click once on the Chart Wizard button. (The chart wizard is up on the tool bar. It looks like a little bar graph.)
7. Welcome to the flight simulator! Use your mouse to fly around. The names scrolling by on one of the mountain sides is the design team.
[Note: This works as advertised.]

For Windows 98:

 1. Click on the time in the lower right-hand part of the Taskbar. The Date/Time box will pop up.
2. Click on the tab marked Time Zone. A map of the world should appear.
3. Press and hold the Ctrl key.
4. Still holding the Ctrl key, click your mouse on the approximate location of Memphis, Egypt (the northeastern corner of Africa). Get close. No need to be overly specific here. (Memphis was the working name for Windows 98 before it was released to the public.)
5. Still holding the Ctrl key, drag your mouse pointer to Memphis, Tennessee (south-central USA, above the Gulf of Mexico).
6. Unclick the mouse, but keep the Ctrl key pressed and your mouse pointer near Memphis, Tennessee.
7. Click Memphis, Tennessee (your mouse pointer should already be there) again and drag your cursor to Redmond, Washington (northwest corner of USA). Redmond is where Microsoft is headquartered.
8. Release both the mouse and the Ctrl key.
9. Watch show. If your speakers aren't on, turn them on. There's music playing!
[Note: This didn't work for me.]

More Links:

The Dummies Easter Egg Page.

The Easter Egg Page.

The Easter Egg Archive.

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