"I like my desktop because it reminds me of a party, and that's cool because I like to party." A.D., NYC, USA

"green leaves in central park's shakespeare's garden. taken on a very hot summer day, the color of the leaves just seemed so fresh and cool. on my home laptop." CCC, Manhattan, USA

"i dont think theres much to say about this..."CH, USA

G.R., USA

"This is my work pc. The picture is one my friend took in California. She is an amazing photographer. I rotate my desktop pictures every moth or so with soothing ones to keep me sane. I try to keep useless crap off my desktop, one more thing to make my life easier." NC, NYC, USA

ZPS, USA

"My desktop is an image of my college library during a student art installation. The whirling warmth of the windows reminds me of the excitement and strangeness of those four years, the foreboding sky of the dread I'd feel before entering the library during finals, unsure if i'd make it out alive, and the architecture is like a queer twist on the concrete communist blocs of Romania, where I now live." ES, Romania

"This is an aerial photo taken of my home turf: Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I grew up there, and I love how this photo captures how vulnerable the Cape is, sticking way out in the middle of the ocean like that. I try to describe that feeling to people and I can just tell they don't get it. It really tells a lot about who I am. This is on my own, very own, first ever, never without it, laptop. HomeWorkPlay. All the same for me." S.M. USA

"I tend to keep my PC side of my MacBookPro as one image, and rotate my Mac backgrounds. This is my PC. What the image is: I took this picture standing inside a cone of light in an art installation at SFMoMA in september 2007 - the installation was a projector in a darkened room projecting very crisp lines or volumes onto the opposite wall. I like this image for a few reasons: 1) I was working as a lighting designer when I took the photo and therefore relate vicrerally to light installations 2) the security guard nearly confiscated my camera and kicked me out soon after shooting, and 3) dark images on computer screens use less energy (an argument that would actually hold water if I wasn't always using the screen for something else with non-black backgrounds...). As for the stuff on the desktop - I am currently a graduate student in Architecture - therefore the multitude of graphics programs." DW, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

"I've attached a screenshot of my work computer. I tend to change my picture a lot, depending on my mood or the mood in my office. Right now, it's a great picture of plumeria and the beach in Hawaii. I went there this summer, and I have it up to remind me of that wonderful vacation." -CS, St. Louis, MO, USA

"My desktop was a quick job. I work at a design firm called OneFastBuffalo. In the beginning I had a hot pink background. That was it, just hot pink. My boss who loves vintage, buffalos, cowboy boots, indians and dirt didn't think that it fit the OneFastBuffalo "brand." So, I whipped up this background that couldn't be more brand... I mean, it has buffalos, dirt and our name smeared ALL over it." CC, Dallas, USA

"This is a one of the first pictures released from the Phoenix Lander's mission to Mars. It's pretty remarkable, in that it is the first photograph ever to show the Moon and Earth in one frame. As a science teacher, it fits my work personality nicely." JNJ, DC, USA

"this is a picture of mount of the holy cross in colorado. i went on a hike to see it a couple of summers ago, and it was beautiful as mountains are, and so this was the best google image of it that i could find. original, i know. the clutter is because i'm always in a hurry when i'm on my puter cuz i'm always doing schoolwork and want to be done soon or have too much to do in the time that i have, and so i never take the time to delete or reorganize files." MJB, Wisconsin, USA

"Our desktop is kept clutter-free. The only files/folders on it at any time relate to items which need to be taken care of immediately. In this case, there is a Powerpoint presentation containing a T-shirt design, and a proposal from a coffee-shop chain which wants us to advertise on their cups. The image in the center is our logo." RC, Bangalore, India

"The clutter on my desktop often reflects how chaotic my life is. If I'm really busy or stressed, my desktop is very messy. If things are more calm, it looks clean and neat. Currently, things are calm. I also change my desktop photo every few days. Currently I have my favorite picture of my grandparents. They are riding on my dad's ATV. This is the only picture we have of my grandpa smiling. It makes me laugh every time I see it. It also reminds me of how funny my family is."
-KLC, USA.

"my desktop is a picture of lake namsto in tibet, a place i visited a few years ago. it was one of the most beautiful and peaceful places ive ever been, so i guess i try to bring a little of that into my life everyday. this is my laptop, so it is home, work, school, everything..." A.M., USA

"I ilke the sharp rock edges. It contrasts nicely with the soft focus of the porn I typically watch." A.S., NYC, USA

"home comp. there could be more but i kind of like it this way" J.L., Boston, MA, USA

"This photo is form the Pumpkin Festival in NY last year.... sometimes you have to get on the ground to see the cool stuff." A.C., USA

"I can't stand cluttered desktops. I need to see the photo. This is my home/work computer." M.K., USA

" This picture currently resides on my laptop. This is my dream car, the Ferrari Enzo. It costs about $1.25 million, so clearly unrealistic, but it is a beautiful piece of engineering." J.M.R. St. Louis, MO, USA

"This is my work computer. I really like the color purple and I work at
an Asian/Asian American organization, so it only seemed fitting to
have a super Asian desktop..." S.C., NYC, USA

"This is my personal computer. I took this pic in 2001 during a family weekend away on the lake. There is just something about the way the water looks that calms me and the weekend it reminds me of is still very important to me." E.S., Rochester, NY, USA

"My desktop was very very cluttered. There were hundreds of things saved to it, dating back 2 years. this project inspired me to clean up, a little. The image in the background is a painting that was painted and given to me on valentines day two years ago. the girlfriend who gave it to me has since broke up to me, and I am not entirely ready to move on- from the image or her!" J.H., USA

"my desktop is a photo i took from our get-away in seal cove maine. i created the tint by shooting through my sunglasses so i could capture the view the way i normally see it. this is a very special place for me. one which has inspired poems and led to much relaxation. it is a place i have shared with only a few friends. this photo is both a source of relaxation and inspiration." R.O., USA

"We're waiting for a set (of waves) in Nicaragua. The wind was blowing offshore, the water was warm, and the pelicans decided to join in the festivities..." E.A., USA

"the pic is looking down from the summit of algonquin in the adirondacks." S.P., NYC, USA

"This is from my home computer. I was hiking somewhere in West Virginia with my best friend over the summer." B.C., NYC, USA

W.K., NYC, USA

"My desktop at home - I've always loved this picture. Whenever I look at it, I feel lucky to have such amazing people in my life." A.R., USA

"I'm a gamer at heart. While I'm wildly anticipating this game, I can get ready for halloween." B.C., NYC, USA

"This is from my office computer. I am a trader and have two screens that's why there is so many programs open, but every now and then, especially when things are really crazy, I just minimize everything and look at Machu Picchu, I was there last year. Something about the alpacas munching on the grass is very calming." D.H.C., Tel Aviv, Israel

"I'm an Open Source nut, so my desktop is Ubuntu Linux. This photo was taken from the deck on the back of my house in Cincinnati, on a foggy morning in early October 2008. Our house sits in old-growth woods (most trees are over 60 feet tall, and are a combination of beech, maple, and oak), and the house has a lot of south-facing windows and skylights to take in the leafy glory. And, despite the apparent isolation, we're less than half a mile from schools, parks, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. (the advantages of wooded living in an urban area)." M.S., Cincinnati, USA

"This image from my background is from a friend's project actually... it's called the "Background Beautification Project" (Facebook group) in which he uses his photography and digital manipulation skills to create interesting/beautiful backgrounds every few weeks, which he then sends to everyone in the group. This one is my favorite so far... I'm not sure why, but it's very simple and tells a story..." M.H., USA

"To be honest, I am just doing this to get you off my back." J.K., NYC, USA

"hey, so this is my home/work/life desktop from my laptop. it's a view of right outside my window from my bedroom at sunset here in palermo soho in buenos aires, argentina." R.K., Buenos Aires, Argentina

"I really love Kate Moss." J.G., NYC, USA

"this is my best friend M and me like 2 years ago when i discovered the camera on my mac......we didnt stop taking pictures of ourselves for approx 4 hours....in my kitchen...stoned." M.P., NYC, USA

"Home, work, and office desktop. Picture taken two days ago in the great city of Rochester, NY. During the long dark days of winter this will serve as a reminder that it's not this bad all the time." R.F., NY, USA

"My boo shaking it in the streets of BM with beer in tow. Zenful lack of clutter keeps me a happy man." C.M.H., Washington DC, USA

"This is my work desktop. Lots of useless programs, but more importantly a shot of the celebration of the Dodgers winning the NL West. Now more than ever, as their World Series chances are at their most grim, this reminds me of their better days. Plus the stream of champagne about to hit the dude in the face is pretty awesome." P.B., NYC, USA

R.D'C., USA

"This is my work computer and thereful is full of icons for slightly obsolete technology (Lotus Notes... really?). I'm rocking my toolbar on the side because it's sassy like a side ponytail for my computer and allows me to have a ton of windows open at once while still being able to see what they all are. Yay multitasking. Plus, I think small-ish rodents are hilarious." J.B., USA

"Trunk Bay, in St. John. I just got back from vacation there, and it makes me remember how beautiful and relaxing my time was there." C.D., USA

"Found an amazing online collection of old b/w photos of New York. This one works perfectly for de-stressing a overheated brain since you can get lost for minutes following streets & buildings - Love the perspective." M.L., Sweden

"favorite picture from moscow. love that damn city." S.N., USA

T.N., USA

"Ansel Adams...amazing landscape photography, calming when work is frustrating. " J.P., USA

"13th hole @ the Williams College course. i think the most beautiful spot in williamstown, brings back great memories. its a work computer, so i thought it would be pretty innocuous too. and it certainly has been." Z.M., USA