Windows XP Frog origin

masterge77
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Posts: 164

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 23, 2024 2:27:58 GMT Happy Brian, extremewreck2000, and 2 more like this

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Post by masterge77 on Jul 23, 2024 2:27:58 GMT

The Windows XP frog is a cutout rubber frog on a white background that appears as a default profile image on Windows XP. Nobody knows the origin of this image, or who took it, though it appeared on a Russian news article from 2001, just a few years before XP's release, but no further results have been found:

YouTuber bjiru has been trying to find this frog for a long time, but has been unable to find any results.

Another person on Reddit has been trying to find the Frog as well:
https://www.reddit.com/r/windowsxp/comments/1dumg10/windows_xp_frog/

A similar frog was found on a Russian News site in 2001, believed to be the original image, but this is unconfirmed:

Microsoft used images from sites like Alamy, Vertical or Corbis for it's stock images, but none of them have had this frog. If anyone is able to find the origin of the frog image, such as who took this picture, that would be great.

bubblesmedia
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The creator of Super Bubbles Fruit Shooter.

Posts: 33

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 24, 2024 7:14:55 GMT extremewreck2000 likes this

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Post by bubblesmedia on Jul 24, 2024 7:14:55 GMT

Jul 23, 2024 2:27:58 GMT masterge77 said:

The Windows XP frog is a cutout rubber frog on a white background that appears as a default profile image on Windows XP. Nobody knows the origin of this image, or who took it, though it appeared on a Russian news article from 2001, just a few years before XP's release, but no further results have been found:

YouTuber bjiru has been trying to find this frog for a long time, but has been unable to find any results.

Another person on Reddit has been trying to find the Frog as well:
https://www.reddit.com/r/windowsxp/comments/1dumg10/windows_xp_frog/

A similar frog was found on a Russian News site in 2001, believed to be the original image, but this is unconfirmed:

Microsoft used images from sites like Alamy, Vertical or Corbis for it's stock images, but none of them have had this frog. If anyone is able to find the origin of the frog image, such as who took this picture, that would be great.

Maybe we can translate the article, and see if it mentions this frog anywhere?

muln Lost Media Beginner Posts: 8	Windows XP Frog origin Jul 25, 2024 11:11:16 GMT extremewreck2000 and Trance like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by muln on Jul 25, 2024 11:11:16 GMT here's a translation from windows aesthetics on twitter. i speak russian so i can confirm it's accurate and what's likely the original story in german
	Last Edit: Jul 25, 2024 11:11:35 GMT by muln

tirgo
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Posts: 491

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 28, 2024 14:42:07 GMT Happy Brian and extremewreck2000 like this

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Post by tirgo on Jul 28, 2024 14:42:07 GMT

I would argue this as actually being a case of found media since the original image (the frog part of it anyway) has been identified. I understand wanting to have the full original photo and to know the true origins of the image as well though.

orof Lost Media Casual Posts: 58	Windows XP Frog origin Jul 29, 2024 8:48:59 GMT via mobile Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by orof on Jul 29, 2024 8:48:59 GMT Wait a minute. Thats my neightboors frog. Unfortunately trashed my neightboord away.

co Global Moderator Posts: 1,509	Windows XP Frog origin Jul 29, 2024 18:02:15 GMT via mobile extremewreck2000 and robynp93 like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by co on Jul 29, 2024 18:02:15 GMT Jul 29, 2024 8:48:59 GMT orof said: Wait a minute. Thats my neightboors frog. Unfortunately trashed my neightboord away. This troll spammed their last post, banned.

extremewreck2000
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Posts: 4,560

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 30, 2024 3:04:08 GMT

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Post by extremewreck2000 on Jul 30, 2024 3:04:08 GMT

I've known toys that appear on store shelves for some time, are barely ever bought, then ultimately ending up in thrift stores that sell used products or unsold stock that was taken out of Walmart, Target or whatever bargain bin dollar store where, again, they're barely ever bought(probably worded this in a confusing way). I would not be surprised if that's the case here, essentially some bath toy that didn't catch on & the company behind it seemingly no longer exists.

Dreams are boundless, imaginations are infinite, space is a multi-directional spiral & Akazukin ChaCha is my favorite anime

lucylovesbrock
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Posts: 7

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 30, 2024 6:29:43 GMT via mobile extremewreck2000, Trance, and 1 more like this

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Post by lucylovesbrock on Jul 30, 2024 6:29:43 GMT

I found a website that has a 3D model of a frog that looks similar to the Windows XP one. The person who created it says it is a "Classic Rubber Froggy".

www.turbosquid.com/pt_br/3d-models/3d-model-rubber-frog/530383

I live in Brazil, and I saw a similar rubber frog once or twice when I was a child. It looked less detailed, with a very simple painting and a smooth back, but the shape was about the same.
We have many stores that sell items from Asia, mostly from China (they are usually cheaper, so they are popular), however the stores rarely have any information about the true origins of the items. Import companies remove the original tags (when they exist) and replace them with their own tags.

I believe the Windows XP frog photo was made from a picture of one of those frogs - and then it was edited to look more colorful and vivid.

I was able to find similar frogs for sale on Amazon and on sites like Alibaba and AliExpress. They look like the ones I saw here in Brazil in the past - they don't have that rugged back though.

Last Edit: Jul 30, 2024 6:31:16 GMT by lucylovesbrock

tomatopasta
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Posts: 48

Windows XP Frog origin Jul 31, 2024 5:26:30 GMT extremewreck2000, rowler, and 1 more like this

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Post by tomatopasta on Jul 31, 2024 5:26:30 GMT

In fact, it really does look like a squeaky bath toy, you can see the badly painted eyes on a molded plastic body.

I found this image on Alamy, taken in 1999 by Gabe Palmer, it really does look like the same frog, the stippled texture on the back, the green gradient along the body, although the windows frog's eyes have a little more white above the pupil.

Last Edit: Jul 31, 2024 5:28:00 GMT by tomatopasta: typo

spaghati

tomatopasta
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please Noah I need awnsers

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Windows XP Frog origin Jul 31, 2024 8:31:50 GMT extremewreck2000 and Trance like this

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Post by tomatopasta on Jul 31, 2024 8:31:50 GMT

u/Intelligent_Piano316 (on reddit) found a really interesting lead.

This frog picture is part of an image dataset created by Columbia University in 1996.

Unless that, I still have some doubts: the picture quality is quite poor (in comparison to other depictions), so it's hard to say that this is the original source of win frog, the picture is slightly cropped, the lightning is not de same (pay attention to reflections), and the pupils seems quite bigger. At least, it's the same toy for sure.

spaghati

epicdude Lost Media Beginner im a very epic dude 🪼🪸🐙 Posts: 2	Windows XP Frog origin Aug 3, 2024 22:48:28 GMT extremewreck2000 and tomatopasta like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Back to Top Post by epicdude on Aug 3, 2024 22:48:28 GMT Hello, I am the owner of r/WindowsXPFrog. We have some cool stuff there, click here to join: www.reddit.com/r/WindowsXPFrog/

Post by masterge77 on Jul 23, 2024 2:27:58 GMT

Post by bubblesmedia on Jul 24, 2024 7:14:55 GMT

Post by muln on Jul 25, 2024 11:11:16 GMT

Post by tirgo on Jul 28, 2024 14:42:07 GMT

Post by orof on Jul 29, 2024 8:48:59 GMT

Post by co on Jul 29, 2024 18:02:15 GMT

Post by extremewreck2000 on Jul 30, 2024 3:04:08 GMT

Post by lucylovesbrock on Jul 30, 2024 6:29:43 GMT

Post by tomatopasta on Jul 31, 2024 5:26:30 GMT

Post by tomatopasta on Jul 31, 2024 8:31:50 GMT

Post by epicdude on Aug 3, 2024 22:48:28 GMT

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