Apple's operating systems are full of details. In the case of the Mac, in addition to lesser-known functions, they are also filled with hidden gems that are very easy to overlook. These details, known as Easter eggs, are small secrets that developers have hidden within the software for the delight of those curious enough to look beyond the obvious. Let's gather, then, nine of these Easter eggs in macOS that, possibly, very few know.
Amazing discoveries in macOS
We start our exploration with Sosumi, a clever alert sound with a backstory as fascinating as its creation. This detail is a reference to the legal dispute with the Beatles' record label, also called Apple, which restricted the tech company from involving in music. Presented as a Japanese word without musical implications, "Sosumi" actually hides a challenging message: "so sue me."
Another curiosity is the creation date of incomplete downloads, which shows January 24, 1984, the date of the first Macintosh presentation by Steve Jobs. This detail is not only a historical nod but also a demonstration of Apple's attention to detail.
The Blue Screen of Death is a mockery of PCs with Windows, represented in macOS's Finder with the iconic error of the rival operating system, reflecting the rivalry between both companies in a humorous way.
As for personal tributes, Steve Jobs' iconic glasses make a stylized appearance in the icon for Safari's reading list, while the phrase "Here's to the crazy ones" from the "Think Different" campaign permeates several areas of the operating system, keeping Apple's philosophy alive.
Clarus the Dogcow, a historic character in Apple's user interface, is also present, in its own way. When searching for the word "moof" in macOS's Emoji keyboard, we see images of a dog and a cow, a tribute to this iconic character. Similarly, the icon for the Voice Memos app represents the waveform of someone saying "Apple."
Moving to another dimension of macOS Easter eggs, the EP profile in the user image offers a rather subtle homage to Steve Jobs' favorite expressions: "Magic," "Revolution," "Boom," and "Unbelievable." This vinyl record avatar isn't just an aesthetic choice for the profile image; it's a reminder of the innovations and transformative impact Jobs had on Apple.
Finally, we can talk about the historical calendars in Terminal, offering us a window into the breadth of interests and passions that animate Apple's developers. Whether we are history buffs or fans of the Lord of the Rings saga, we can take a look at these calendars by typing "cat /usr/share/calendar/calendar.history" or "cat /usr/share/calendar/calendar.lotr" in the Terminal app.
Apple has evolved significantly from its early operating systems to the most recent versions like iOS 17 or macOS Sonoma. It continues, however, to hide these little secret treasures throughout the systems. Small moments of surprise and delight for when we find them and a tribute to the company's culture and history and sense of humor.
On Hanaringo | This was System 7, the macOS of the 90s that we can now test in our browser