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, is mimics an Aperture Science employee interface that appears to be operated by GLaDOS.

It reveals information about Portal and Aperture Science, through the Enrichment Center Test Subject Application and a short timeline of the history of Aperture Science. It is unknown if ApertureScience.com actually exists in the Half-Life universe.

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 had typed help.


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


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


 * Several commands can then be entered:
 * : Displays a message left by a test subject who seems to have hacked the system, possibly the Rat Man, with a view of a Test Subject's bedroom through a security camera browsing from right to left. Note the placeholder models. In the message, he/she expresses his/her concern about his/her freedom, among other things. This message is the following:


 * /  /   /   /    or   : These commands list the files in the database, of which only one exists. An executable file named "APPLY".
 * : Reveals the UID code of the website's visitor.
 * / : 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 don't.
 * : 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.
 * / : 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 changed 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 proper tests then begins where 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 questions.


 * 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. These login and password can be found in the Rat Man 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, Aperture Science's CEO, 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 it's equivalents can still be executed, and it will show all of the unusable commands and the new   option.


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

Current website
The current website features a looped video put on the website at Christmas 2007, with the song "Still Alive" sung by a Christmas choir in the background and named "07 - Holiday Vault". It is a security camera-like view, browsing from right to left, showing room with a fireplace with around it several elements from The Orange Box: the Weighted Companion Cube, a Sentry Turret, a Christmas tree with presents at its feet and decorated with miniature Team Fortress 2 characters, the cake, Supply Crates, the Garden Gnome on the mantelpiece, an Enrichment Center-like logo of Santa Claus falling from a chimney, 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.

Trivia

 * The website's reverse DNS is "unknown.valvesoftware.com", the same as SteamPowered.com, which belongs to Valve.
 * "ApertureLaboratories.com" and "ApertureLabratories.com" also link the the page.
 * The UID given in the application will never be memorized or written down because a character changes every time it flashes.

Eternal links

 * ApertureScience.com