Webdriver Torso: Difference between revisions
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==Easter egg== |
==Easter egg== |
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[[File:WTProfile.png|thumbnail|right|A screenshot from a "webdriver torso" search result on [[YouTube]].]] |
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{{see also|List of Google hoaxes and easter eggs}} |
{{see also|List of Google hoaxes and easter eggs}} |
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When "webdriver torso" is searched into [[Google]] or [[YouTube]], the [[Google]] logo and [[YouTube]] search results will both look like a Webdriver Torso video.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=webdriver+torso</ref> |
When "webdriver torso" is searched into [[Google]] or [[YouTube]], the [[Google]] logo and [[YouTube]] search results will both look like a Webdriver Torso video.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=webdriver+torso</ref> |
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[[Category:Internet memes]] |
[[Category:Internet memes]] |
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{{web-stub}} |
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Revision as of 15:19, 20 November 2014
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Webdriver Torso is a YouTube account that posts mostly 11-second videos consisting of blue and red rectangle slides. As of November 15, 2014, it has uploaded over 185,000 videos,[1] and over 43,000 people have subscribed to the channel.[2]
Content
Typical videos
The time difference between the uploads ranges from less than 1 minute to over 20. Most are 11 seconds long, although some can be 1 minute,[3] 5 minutes, or 25 minutes.[4] Most have 9 slides, each being about 1 second long and containing a blue rectangle and a red rectangle with a random size, shape, and position on the screen. The red rectangles always appear over the blue ones, and it is possible, although rare, for the red rectangle to completely cover up the blue one. Each slide has a computer-generated wave tone. In the corner of each video it says "aqua.flv - slide (number with four digits)". Early videos were called "aqua",[5] then were changed to "tmp" (short for template) followed by random characters.
Unusual videos
The channel has three unusual videos. In one of the rectangle videos, tmpRkRl85, the red rectangle becomes a shilouette of Rick Astley dancing in the second half of the video.[6] The video "00014" is a video recorded in Paris that showed the Eiffel Tower being lit up.[7] At the end of the video, the camera is put down, and the Webdriver Torso Facebook page is visible for a few frames.[8] The last one, "0.455442373793." is only viewable in France, requires a payment of 1.99 euro to watch, and is only payable with a French credit card.[9] It shows an episode of the American adult cartoon Aqua Teen Hunger Force.[10]
Similar channels
The YouTube channels "Webdriver YPP",[11] "Ekaterina Basic",[12] and "Webdriver IVPE"[13] have similar content.
Some of the videos made by "Webdriver YPP" have random phrases, such as "Jim knows about the glass" and "Contact his highness and ask about the pen".[14]
Speculation
There was some speculation about the identity and content of the videos, including suggestions that it may have been spy messages,[15] contact by extraterrestrial life-forms,[16] or construction plans.[17] Also, no one has yet given credit for making Webdriver Torso.[16]
"Matei" speculation
On the video "00014", Webdriver Torso commented "Matei is highly intelligent". There have been arguments about what Matei they were talking about. People have said it is Basarab Matei,[18] Matei Mancas, Matei Gruber, or Matei Ciocarlie.[19]
Solving the mystery
It was later revealed to be simply a quality testing account run by YouTube's owner, Google.[19] The videos are made, then the videos are uploaded to YouTube. The uploaded videos are then compared to the videos before they were uploaded, to see how much quality was lost. Many think that Google Zurich is behind Webdriver Torso.[20]
YouTube's reply
When YouTube was asked about Webdriver Torso, they replied: "We're never gonna give you uploading that's slow or loses video quality, and we're never gonna let you down by playing YouTube in poor video quality. That's why we're always running tests like Webdriver Torso."[21]
Easter egg
When "webdriver torso" is searched into Google or YouTube, the Google logo and YouTube search results will both look like a Webdriver Torso video.[22]
References
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=webdriver+torso
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsLiV4WJfkTEHH0b9PmRklw/feed?spfreload=10
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud-WtI_D0ko&list=UUsLiV4WJfkTEHH0b9PmRklw
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8XiPonEhw4&index=2&list=UUSssq0y1SG9_Sj_hs5KaCgw&spfreload=10
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w3c2j6jO5s&list=UUsLiV4WJfkTEHH0b9PmRklw
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/06/this-is-the-truth-behind-webdriver-torso/
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/06/this-is-the-truth-behind-webdriver-torso/
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/06/this-is-the-truth-behind-webdriver-torso/
- ^ http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/webdriver-torso
- ^ http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/webdriver-torso
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxexYYtOetqikZqriLuTS-g?spfreload=10
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/user/MrWebdriver
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKvky_c4MzuFGfgspYlzjSA/feed
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMWFPHN2RB8
- ^ http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27238332
- ^ a b ""Webdriver Torso" is either something incredibly sinister or nothing at all". The A.V. Club. The Onion, Inc. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLjbYSREADQ
- ^ "The truth behind one YouTube account's 77,000 mysterious videos". The Guardian. The Guardian. 1 May 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ a b Wakefield, Jane (10 July 2014). "Google behind Webdriver Torso mystery". BBC News. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/06/this-is-the-truth-behind-webdriver-torso/
- ^ http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/06/this-is-the-truth-behind-webdriver-torso/
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=webdriver+torso