De-Coding Leonardo

"Nov. 9, 2007 -- A real da Vinci code is indeed hidden within Leonardo's "The Last Supper," according to a book to be published in Italy next week.
But rather than conspiracy theories, the new code points to a hidden musical score, a sacred text and a three-dimensional chalice. "
-Discovery Channel

C'mon. Is anyone really buying into this?
This is one if not the most recognizable paintings in the world. It would make some sense of course to wonder about it, but this "coding" within this masterpiece really is getting to me.
I was lucky enough to see this painting and the last thing, as an artist, I was thinking "wow I wonder if there is some secret code in this?" I never think that about any art for that matter. I see art for what it is and make my own assumptions based on the work. Color, composition, details, etc.
So why is it that this particular piece is so controversial? Is The Sistine Chapel just to much and to big to try and decode too?
And, now some new code has come up:

"This is not another spin-off of Dan Brown's novel. It's real," musician Giovanni Maria Pala told Discovery News in an exclusive interview. "I've always been intrigued by the possibility of finding a (piece of) music in the Last Supper, but I would have never imagined to find myself decoding a secret message by Leonardo."-Discovery Channel

I just cannot believe that this is considered to be "truth". Personally, Leonardo da Vinci seemed to be a man that unlike his Painting, recorded a lot of his ideas on paper, so why would he put secret codes into his work? I believe we are still stuck in the old myths about backward messages that were supposedly placed in Beatles albums which John Lennon denied constantly.
What is this obsession with trying to find out hidden messages? and if there really are "hidden messages" aren't we defeating the purpose by bringing hidden things to the forefront?
Art is a subjective thing, what the viewer see's according to his or her own interpretations, I don't like being told what is in art, unless it is "Art History" . So I added a few real facts about Leonardo da Vinci's, " The Last Supper"

Why did Leonardo paint this?
Because his employer requested he do so. Leonardo worked for Ludovico Sforza, Duke of Milan, for nearly eighteen years (1482-99). The Duke decided he wanted this particular religious scene painted and Leonardo, who was not stupid, decided painting it made perfect financial sense.

How big is it?
It's huge, really - 460 x 880 cm (15 x 29 feet). It covers an entire large wall, very unlike reproductions sized to hang neatly behind one's sofa.

Where is it?
The original mural is on a wall of the refectory (dining hall) in the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy.
How long did it take Leonardo to paint this?
He began working on it in 1495, and finished Last Supper in 1498. This is worth noting, as Leonardo was a known procrastinator with a marked tendency to leave projects unfinished.

Why is the composition remarkable?
First, because the disciples are all displaying very human, identifiable emotions. "The Last Supper" had certainly been painted before. Leonardo's version, though, was the first to depict real people acting like real people.
Secondly, and of major importance - the technical perspective in Last Supper is incredible! You can see that every single element of the painting directs one's attention straight to the midpoint of the composition, Christ's head. It's arguably the greatest example of one point perspective ever created.

[Source About.Com- Art History ]