With Photoshop’s 20th Anniversary coming up on February 19, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the splash screens and some trivia/tricks from the past 20 years. This is the most complete collection of splash screens and alternate/easter eggs I could gather. Enjoy!
This is the first icon from Adobe Photoshop (v.087!). It was known as “Photo Hut”. Go figure.
Here is version 1.0.7 the first edition of Adobe Photoshop February 19, 1990
Version 2.0.1 “Fast Eddy” 1991
Version 2.5 Alternate Splash Screen – “Merlin” (who is still with us today – see below) 1992
Version 3.0 1994
Version 3.0 Alternate Splash Screen – “Taking Tiger Mountain”
Version 4.0 – 1996
Version 4.0 Alternate Splash Screen – “Big Electric Cat” – The most popular codename.
Version 5.0 – 1998
Version 5.0 Alternate Splash Screen – “Strange Cargo” – SUPER SECRET EASTER EGG -If you held down the option/alt key, and went to About (under help menu) you got the splash screen. But then if you typed the word “burp” the crate would open and the cat would look out. Then, type in the cats name “Udo” and it would meow!
Version 6.0 – 2000
Version 6.0 Alternate Splash Screen – “Venus in Furs”. The Big Electric Cat is back! Very, very odd…
Version 7.0 – 2002
Version 7.0 Alternate Splash Screen – “Liquid Sky” – Note Big Electric Cat in the lower left corner of the window.
Version 8.0 (CS) – 2003
CS Alternate Splash Screen – “Dark Matter” – B.E. Cat is now behind the name.
Version 9.0 (CS2) – 2005
CS2 Alternate Splash Screen – “Space Monkey” – B.E. Cat in space.
Version 10 (CS3) – 2007
CS3 Alternate Splash Screen – “Red Pill” – Rumor was Illustrator was to be the “Blue Pill” which never came to be. B.E. Cat is reflected in the pill.
CS3 Alternate Splash Screen – EASER EGG – If you take a screenshot of the alternate splash screen and then run Levels, adjust the shadow sliders all the way to the right, you will see a memorial of Bruce Fraser.
Bruce was a well-known author, Photoshop innovator and the very first recipient of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006.
Version 11.0 (CS4) – 2008
CS4 Alternate Splash Screen – “Stonehenge”.
And finally a bonus easter egg. I bet you didn’t realize that Merlin has stuck with us all along. If you go to your Layers Panel Menu, hold down opt./alt and select Panel Options. Ta Da! Merlin appears!
Happy Birthday Photoshop and many more to come!
