ApertureScience.com



ApertureScience.com is a viral tie-in website launched in 2006 to promote Portal. Simply a DOS-like prompt with a blinking green square on the upper-left side, it mimics an Aperture Science employee interface that appears to be operated by GLaDOS.

The website reveals information about Portal and Aperture Science through the Enrichment Center Test Subject Application and a short timeline of the history of the corporation.

It is unknown if ApertureScience.com actually exists within the Half-Life universe, while the contents themselves likely do.

On March 1st, 2010, an update made to Portal launched a new viral campaign, involving more complex riddles.

Commands

 * will display a help text message that does not help give out possible commands to use, but rather humorously presumes the user actually needs help with an accident in the Enrichment Center and as such mobilized a "Crisis Team" to respond to the emergency and assist whomever has typed help.


 * In the rectangle prompt, a visitor can type,   or   to login. Upon doing so a classic text login prompt will show up (see below for another login option).
 * Any username with more than two characters will work. A password is then asked for. It can be either  or.


 * Then, "GLaDOS v1.09 (c) 1982 Aperture Science, Inc." appears (it was originally "v1.07").


 * Several commands can then be entered:
 * : Displays a message left by what is most likely either a test subject or a former employee who seems to have hacked the system, possibly even the Ratman, with a view of a Test Subject's bedroom through a security camera browsing from right to left (with placeholder Half-Life 2 models). In the message, he/she expresses his/her concern about his/her freedom, among other things. The next page displays a VisiCalc list. The message is the following:


 * /  /   /   /    or   : These commands list the files in the database, of which only one (an executable file named "APPLY") exists.
 * : Reveals the UID code of the website's visitor (see below).
 * / : Lists several commands that can be entered. They are as follows:
 * /  /   /   /   or  : Using any of these gives an error about the disk being write protected.
 * /  /   /  : A sound is played saying "Goodbye" and sends the visitor to their browser homepage, or SteamPowered.com if they do not have one.
 * : Gives an error if no parameter is provided, otherwise gives the error "illegal attempt to initiate disciplinary action".
 * : Gives an error about the user not being authorized to transfer system tapes.
 * : Returns "ERROR 3 [What would you like to play?]" if no parameter is given. Typing "PLAY PORTAL" tries to open a YouTube video that has been removed by the user.
 * / : Begins the registration process, before starting the real test.
 * Any other command gives an error about the file not being found.

Starting the "Enrichment Center Test Subject Application Process" (APPLY.EXE)

 * After APPLY.EXE has been accessed, the website changes to the application process for a perspective Enrichment Center test subject.


 * or  can be chosen.   proceeds to the next step.


 * The visitor's blinking UID is then given (it can be revealed earlier with the command ).


 * The test then begins. Many questions are asked for the user to answer, most being humorous in nature. Many questions related to Portal are asked, as well as many cake-related ones.


 * During the test, a picture of a cake flashes at random intervals.


 * At the end of the test, the so called UID given earlier is asked. It is however irrelevant: whatever the user types, a failure message will appear.

Cave Johnson's account



 * When logging in, the visitor can also enter  as the login and   as the password ("CJOHNSON" refers to Cave Johnson, Aperture Science's CEO). These login and password can be found in Ratman scribblings spread around the Enrichment Center's maintenance area seen during Portal, with the words "trust me" right to it.


 * After logging in as Cave Johnson, "GLaDOS v1.07a (c) 1982 Aperture Science, Inc." appears (it was originally "v1.07"). Then one can type either  to start the test mentioned above, or , which will give information about Aperture Science and Johnson's history, in the form of a short timeline.


 * The  command or any of its equivalents can still be executed; it will show all of the unusable commands and the new   option.


 * now works, except all names entered for the parameter are always responded with the error "Unknown Employee".

Current website
The current website features a looped video put on the website for Christmas 2007, with the song "Still Alive" sung by a Christmas choir in the background and named "07 - Holiday Vault" ("07" referring to the year 2007). It is a security camera-like view, browsing from right to left, showing a room with a fireplace with several elements from The Orange Box spread around: the Weighted Companion Cube, an Aperture Science Sentry Gun, a Christmas tree with presents at its feet and decorated with miniature Team Fortress 2 characters, the cake, Supply Crates, the Garden Gnome and an Enrichment Center-like logo of Santa Claus falling from a chimney on the mantelpiece, and three socks hanged to the mantelpiece, each bearing a logo of each Orange Box game series. At the end of the loop, "Happy " is displayed. Another version of the video, appearing randomly, shows the Garden Gnome right in front of the camera instead of the mantelpiece.

The GLaDOS version has changed since the creation of the website. It was originally "v1.07" after logging in with any username, then upgraded to "v1.09". Logging in with the username "CJOHNSON" also originally showed "v1.07", later upgraded with "v1.07a".

The March 1st, 2010 update made to Portal revealed ASCII art featuring an even more recent version, "v3.11", dated 1997.

Trivia

 * The website has four reverse DNS answers, all of which are the same for the Steam website. Both websites belong to Valve.
 * "ApertureLaboratories.com" and "ApertureLabratories.com" also link to the page.
 * The UID given in the application will never be memorized or written down because a character changes every time it flashes.
 * It is unknown but likely that series' writers Marc Laidlaw, Chet Faliszek and Erik Wolpaw (one, two or all of them) wrote the contents.

Eternal links

 * ApertureScience.com