On CHOW: Excessive iPhone fondling

Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs

Tags: screenshots, Easter Eggs, Microsoft, Excel, Game, Software, Developer, Security, Movie, Malware, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Excel, Computer, Cell, Trustworthy Computing, Microsoft Office, Office Suites

  • Save
  • Recommend
  • 5

By Greg Shultz

By Greg Shultz
If you've been using computers for a long time, you know what the term Easter Egg means when related to software. An Easter Egg is a small program, usually a game, that is hidden deep inside of an application and is designed by the application’s developers as a way of displaying their names-very similar to the credits that you see at the end of a movie. However, uncovering the Easter Egg is tricky as it almost always involves performing a series of very intricate and non-intuitive steps.

In the past, Microsoft's developers used to go to great lengths when it came to secretly embedding Easter Eggs into their products. I stress the word past, because Microsoft now officially bans the practice for security reasons as part of their Trustworthy Computing initiative.

The increase in the prevalence of malware led to the notion that undocumented code embedded into a major application could be used to compromise sensitive or confidential data. In fact, many companies and government offices forbid the use of software containing Easter Eggs for security reasons.

However, in their heyday, Microsoft's developers created some really elaborate Easter Eggs. In this gallery, I'll show you the awesome Easter Eggs that they embedded into Excel 95, 97, and 2000.
                                             

Print/View all Posts Comments on this gallery

What's your take? Greg Shultz | 08/02/07
easter eggs khalilbhola@... | 08/07/07
undocumented/secret/hidden code Don Ticulate | 08/10/07
Obsecurity TiggerTwo | 08/10/07
Nah! He didn't have the code. slbubba@... | 08/15/07
Ah! Nostalgia... gfhavewala@... | 08/10/07
RE: Ah! Nostalgia... Chaz Chance# | 08/10/07
RE: Ah! Nostalgia... ProfTech | 08/10/07
Winning the war... egtech@... | 08/10/07
May be too philosophical... somethinggood4@... | 08/30/07
Yes, good old days are gone Ssp@... | 08/11/07
This is Advancement AKwok | 08/29/07
Blast from the past Cees Timmerman | 11/07/07
Don't lie, Microsoft meski.oz@... | 08/10/07
Flight Simulator Shaun.G | 08/10/07
You really think that? Don Ticulate | 08/10/07
Master of Sarcastic Rhetoric Shaun.G | 08/10/07
You won't find undocumented codes/eggs in Office or Windows anymore tonyackerman@... | 09/02/07
Department of Defence Shaun.G | 09/03/07
Those devious folks boomchuck1 | 08/10/07
Linsux Shaun.G | 08/10/07
Wont Use VISTA ROFLMA Patrick@... | 08/13/07
If I had a penny... Shaun.G | 08/14/07
Shaun, you should leave boomchuck alone. nighthawk808 | 08/15/07
That has made my day... Shaun.G | 08/16/07
Cranky? Cees Timmerman | 11/07/07
Shhhh! TheGooch1 | 08/17/07
Cats out the bag now happy Shaun.G | 08/20/07
Excel 97 [no text body] seanferd | 08/24/07
Flight Simulator awarren2002@... | 08/29/07
Windows 95 had one... sales@... | 08/10/07
MUF funnyfridaysguy@... | 08/10/07
can't find all rgw@... | 08/10/07
I still have old versions... ppmovcea@... | 08/10/07
More Easter Eggs coming... Greg Shultz | 08/10/07
Makes me nostalgic! AndyKaz | 08/10/07
Oh the good old days! Buglady | 08/10/07
Start digging Constantdrone | 08/10/07
Look at Old Mac apps Cleansweep | 08/12/07
Give the Programmers Credit jk2001 | 08/10/07
The eggs were harmless - shame they have gone leibhold@... | 08/10/07
And on the topic of die hard 4 nawski@... | 08/11/07
Software bloat? stangaroo@... | 08/14/07
smaller, faster, more stable Shaun.G | 08/15/07
Policy by Paranoia israfels_nemesis@... | 09/03/07
Excel 2003 cohena1@... | 09/11/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) raja.aug9@... | 08/06/07
No Egg in Excel 2003 Greg Shultz | 08/07/07
"HOW CAN I OPEN EXCEL 2003?" Robsta | 08/10/07
oh poo, it's broke cry dawgit | 08/07/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) soursoles@... | 08/10/07
Damn fine reminder of how gullable we really are nawski@... | 08/10/07
Get back on your meds michael.howell@... | 08/10/07
Conspiracy Theory Shaun.G | 08/10/07
Whoa TheGooch1 | 08/17/07
New hat? Shaun.G | 08/20/07
Good Lord My man Wrathlon | 08/29/07
Nature Shaun.G | 08/30/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) szovegek@... | 08/10/07
Looking back?? drdosus | 08/10/07
Getting Ahead ProfTech | 08/10/07
* DownRightTired | 08/10/07
History Shaun.G | 08/10/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) shouvik1984@... | 08/10/07
What about the Easter Eggs in Excel 2003 and higer versions tellpraveen@... | 08/10/07
One of the main points of the original post... Wesley Jolly | 08/10/07
What about DRM? jk2001 | 08/10/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) seanryan52@... | 08/10/07
Me neither markinct | 08/10/07
Nor Me pbrownrmn@... | 08/10/07
Same as pbrownrmn Mark_L | 08/10/07
IE7 not the problem bamyclouse@... | 08/30/07
Can't get past IE security settings bigredbird | 08/10/07
Me makes 3 Buglady | 08/10/07
Me makes 4 Marty-7 | 08/10/07
Easter egg in Excel 2000 boomchuck1 | 08/10/07
Same Here.... L-Boogie | 08/10/07
Nor I frenches@... | 08/11/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) bobjorg@... | 08/10/07
Paid? There once was a time when... dawgit | 08/11/07
I was just thinking the same thing Zydeco Blue | 08/16/07
free for all attitude... Shaun.G | 08/17/07
Oh grow up... tonyackerman@... | 09/02/07
"...Who The Hell Are You..." Shaun.G | 09/03/07
Easy there... dawgit | 09/03/07
Changing Times... Shaun.G | 09/05/07
Agreed, the Times, they are a Change'n dawgit | 09/05/07
Learning the hard way... Shaun.G | 09/06/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) shanthar@... | 08/12/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) gpaulgar | 08/25/07
We called it 'developer training'. krchuck2 | 08/29/07
What About NT4 and Older Versions? Krusher | 09/01/07
RE: By Greg Shultz (Looking back at Microsoft Excel Easter Eggs) bobat2320bama@... | 09/07/07

What do you think?

See more TR Photo Galleries TR Gallery Newsletter signup

Meet Doc

advertisement
Click Here