Flashback - Flying Toasters

The "Flying Toasters" originated as a popular screensaver in the early 1990s, developed by the software company Berkeley Systems. Here’s a detailed look at its origins:

1. Background of Berkeley Systems:

   • Company Formation: Berkeley Systems was founded in 1987 by Wes Boyd and Joan Blades in Berkeley, California. Initially, the company focused on developing software for visually impaired individuals.
   • After Dark Screensaver: In 1989, Berkeley Systems released After Dark, a collection of screensavers designed for Macintosh computers, and later for Windows PCs. The screensaver program was a response to the increasing need to prevent screen burn-in on CRT monitors.

2. Introduction of Flying Toasters:

   • First Appearance: The Flying Toasters screensaver debuted in the second version of After Dark, released in 1990.
   • Concept and Design: The screensaver featured animated toasters with wings, flying across the screen, with slices of toast popping out. The whimsical and surreal design captured the imagination of users, quickly becoming iconic and synonymous with After Dark.
   • Cultural Impact: The Flying Toasters became a cultural phenomenon, widely recognized and often parodied. They represented the creativity and humour of early software design and became an emblem of the early 1990s computing era.

3. Legal Issues:

   • Lawsuit: In 1993, Berkeley Systems was sued by Jefferson Airplane (later Jefferson Starship) for allegedly copying the concept from the cover art of their 1973 album "Thirty Seconds Over Winterland," which depicted winged toasters. The lawsuit was settled out of court, with Berkeley Systems agreeing to modify the design of the toasters.

4. Legacy:

   • Enduring Popularity: Despite the eventual decline of screensavers due to advancements in monitor technology, the Flying Toasters remain a nostalgic symbol of early personal computing.
   • Cultural References: The screensaver has been referenced in various forms of media and continues to be remembered fondly by those who experienced the early days of home computing.

The Flying Toasters screensaver exemplifies a unique blend of creativity and functionality in software design, leaving a lasting impact on the history of computing and digital culture.

The Wizard used this screensaver on the first PC that came years before the internet happened.

Source: Some or all of the content was generated using an AI language model