# What the heck is the Wikipedia background image? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2007, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840 "2007-11-09T22:22:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Malachi\_Throne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Malachi\_Throne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malachi_Throne)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/61 "2007-11-14T18:12:51Z")
I’m still not seeing the book thing, it’s more like rays of light. The Great Wall seems to be the main theme, though. ---
**Author:** ![chimera57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@chimera57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chimera57)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/62 "2007-11-14T18:49:30Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] Well, it’s not an open book to me! Ha! But I think you’re right. I guess this should be turned into a poll: am I the only one to failed to see that? [/QUOTE] I doubt it. I _know_ it’s an open book, but every time I go to Wikipedia and that background image loads, I think “What the hell is that? Oh yeah, I remember, it’s an open book.” ---
**Author:** ![Tenebras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@Tenebras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenebras)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/63 "2007-11-14T18:54:55Z")
Cervix ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/64 "2007-11-14T19:07:23Z")
There are an awful lot of guests with October 2007 join dates who think this looks like The Great Wall. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/65 "2007-11-14T19:16:48Z")
I think it looks awesomely like a great wall, so there. Only after I saw the comparison pic tho. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/66 "2007-11-14T20:18:43Z")
No way the Great Wall is even close. ---
**Author:** ![zeno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zeno/32/15040_2.png) [@zeno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zeno)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/67 "2007-11-14T20:28:53Z")
[Did you know the Toyota logo is a Mexican in a sombrero?](http://www.unpluggedliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/toyota-logo.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/68 "2007-11-14T20:53:36Z")
[QUOTE=Malachi Throne] I’m still not seeing the book thing, it’s more like rays of light. The Great Wall seems to be the main theme, though. [/QUOTE] How can you look at [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/monobook/headbg.jpg) and not see a book? ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/69 "2007-11-14T21:36:42Z")
[QUOTE=zeno] [Did you know the Toyota logo is a Mexican in a sombrero?](http://www.unpluggedliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/toyota-logo.gif) [/QUOTE] Well, when Tim Burton’s _Batman_ was released, I remember an interviewer commmenting to him that she always thought it was a mouth with teeth, and didn’t realize it was supposed to be a [bat.](http://www.popartuk.com/g/l/lgpp0590+batman-logo-batman-robin-poster.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Shelf\_stable\_at\_room\_temperatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shelf\_stable\_at\_room\_temperatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shelf_stable_at_room_temperatu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/70 "2007-11-14T22:02:56Z")
[QUOTE=Contrapuntal] How can you look at [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/monobook/headbg.jpg) and not see a book? [/QUOTE] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book. Unless perhpas it’s a looseleaf binder? Maybe if you put a picture of a real book next to the logo we could see what points of similarity you see. Add circles and arrows. But, really, isn’t there some way Cecil can resolve this by calling the Wikipedia folk? Isn’t he in the union for answer gurus? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/71 "2007-11-14T22:14:45Z")
[QUOTE=Shelf stable at room temperatu] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book. Unless perhpas it’s a looseleaf binder? [/QUOTE] The book is open at the middle and laying flat on it’s back. The inverted “v” from which the “rays” (pages) emanate is the spine. The smashed “u” shape that mirrors the “v” is the back. The slightly off vertical dark shadow at the far right delineates the edge of the cover. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/72 "2007-11-14T22:15:39Z")
[QUOTE=Shelf stable at room temperatu] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book. Unless perhpas it’s a looseleaf binder? Maybe if you put a picture of a real book next to the logo we could see what points of similarity you see. Add circles and arrows. But, really, isn’t there some way Cecil can resolve this by calling the Wikipedia folk? Isn’t he in the union for answer gurus? [/QUOTE] See post #13 of this very thread. **Joeyt P** linked to [this picture](http://tinyurl.com/2wfqfv). Squish it a bit vertically and decolorise it and it’s almost identical to the [Wiki background](http://en.wikipedia.org/skins-1.5/monobook/headbg.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/73 "2007-11-14T22:45:25Z")
Here, I increased the contrast. [Book](http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/bedgyro/wikibook.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/74 "2007-11-14T22:51:48Z")
[QUOTE=HeyHomie] I’m with you there - I always thought it was a mountain, as well. Now that I’ve read this thread, I can _barely_ discern how it _might_ be a book, but I’m not really getting it. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Shelf Stable at Room Temperatu] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book. Unless perhpas it’s a looseleaf binder? Maybe if you put a picture of a real book next to the logo we could see what points of similarity you see. Add circles and arrows. But, really, isn’t there some way Cecil can resolve this by calling the Wikipedia folk? Isn’t he in the union for answer gurus? [/QUOTE] Can you see the “11” in the [Big Ten](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/BigTen.png) logo? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/75 "2007-11-15T00:18:38Z")
[QUOTE=Shelf stable at room temperatu] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book…Maybe if you put a picture of a real book next to the logo we could see what points of similarity you see. Add circles and arrows. [/quote] Here’s a [photo of a whole book](http://www.seigle.net/book.jpg). Put it next to the Wikipedia image and it will become obvious (without circles and arrows). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/76 "2007-11-15T03:07:56Z")
[QUOTE=Shelf stable at room temperatu] Like most of the people above, I have a hard time seeing the book. Unless perhpas it’s a looseleaf binder? Maybe if you put a picture of a real book next to the logo we could see what points of similarity you see. Add circles and arrows. But, really, isn’t there some way Cecil can resolve this by calling the Wikipedia folk? Isn’t he in the union for answer gurus? [/QUOTE] Cecil doesn’t normally answer questions this obvious. As Keeve and others have stated, it is clearly a book. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/77 "2007-11-15T03:18:54Z")
[QUOTE=garygnu] Here, I increased the contrast. [Book](http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/bedgyro/wikibook.jpg) [/QUOTE] WHOA!!! That is absolutely incredible!!! All you skeptics who still don’t see the book, you really have to see this!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/78 "2007-11-15T15:07:52Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] Cecil doesn’t normally answer questions this obvious. As Keeve and others have stated, it is clearly a book. [/QUOTE] All right, but maybe Cecil can say why the thread has gone to two pages, when the OP was fully answered in the very first response! ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/79 "2007-11-15T16:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] When I was young I had MAJOR issues with the old U.S.P.S. logo. (google gave me an example [here](http://www.esveld.nl/alaska/pm/a/anchorage402.gif)). I always thought it was some strange picture of a head or something looking to the left. I’m not kidding you. Either a very odd hat or a big nose. Just thought it was one of those odd things, a weird logo chosen for no good reason.. Or that I was just young and didn’t get the meaning of it (like many things when I was 7) and knew it was on the “meh, whatever” scale of things and would eventually figure out the guy with the weird hat logo. [/QUOTE] I know exactly what you mean. When I was a kid, I thought the [Mobil logo](http://www.mitrovich.info/immagini/mobil_logo.jpg) depicted a spray bottle of some kind. A spray bottle. I can no longer understand what I thought I was seeing, but there it is. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2007, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840/80 "2007-11-15T16:51:12Z")
[QUOTE=zeno] [Did you know the Toyota logo is a Mexican in a sombrero?](http://www.unpluggedliving.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/toyota-logo.gif) [/QUOTE] Okay, so what is it really? My guess has been that it looks like a very stylized bull: The vertical ellipse is the head, the horizontal one is the horns, and the outer one is merely a frame. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-the-heck-is-the-wikipedia-background-image/425840.md?page=5)