GTPlanet gets Active on the Desktop!

  • Thread starter LoudMusic
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You should have a random image active desktop! I did that with some pictures I copied off of bikemag.com

Then, every time you refresh the desktop, you'll have a different image. And also, maybe you could just get images of different screenshots, like excel, word, some website you have to use for work, etc. Then, whenever the boss comes by, mimize everything, and then he'll see some "window" that you're using... hehehe, they'll never suspect anything if you have your taskbar autohide and the picture's in the resizeable mode so it doesn't overlap any icons...:evil:
 
That's the way Loud's Desktop works now. (:

Good stuff Loud....thanks! When I first saw your desktop a while back I immediately wanted one like that for myself. I soon found out it wasn't quite as simple as changing a few options in Windows! :lol:

I think I am going to have to put my icons back on the desktop. I miss them too much!

fd1f342c.jpg


I did figure out how to change the name on the desktop all by myself (Yay! :P ). Now I might have to start messing with the formula some more. I always have the original zip if I screw up too badly.

You've introduced me to HTML...who knows what evil you have unleashed upon the world... :fdevil: :smilewink

EDIT: A follow-up question: How hard would it be to integrate WinAmp in my desktop? I wouldn't mind doing it myself if someone would be so good as to point me in the right direction....
 
Originally posted by risingson77
EDIT: A follow-up question: How hard would it be to integrate WinAmp in my desktop? I wouldn't mind doing it myself if someone would be so good as to point me in the right direction....
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Eh, I don't think that's possible. Winamp is a stand alone app. Active Desktop is basically just using an html file as your "desktop image". There may be a web based mp3 player you could use, though. That's a cool idea - I think I'll look for one myself (:
 
Um, any "still" desktops for us Mac users? :) The ones on GTP are nice, but unfortunately, the GTP logo is messed up by being partially hidden by OSX's Dock...
 
Originally posted by LoudMusic
So move the dock. Dumb dock, dumb.
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Yes, but, it's so perfect where it is! :) I can move it to be vertical and on the left or right sides, but both ways just screw up the interface... and, I have a hack to keep it on the bottom and align it to the left or right, but I just love it right smack in the middle! I'm assuming you're scratching your head in confusion at what seems to be an utter lack of logic on my part, but it's just how I am. :smilewink
 
And you don't like for it to hide either? Personally, I don't like the Tasktray to hide in Windows, or the Dock to hide in OS X. I mean, that's important stuff ... it should always be visible. I hated the app switcher in OS 9- because I couldn't, at a glance, see what all applications were running.
 
Originally posted by LoudMusic
And you don't like for it to hide either? Personally, I don't like the Tasktray to hide in Windows, or the Dock to hide in OS X. I mean, that's important stuff ... it should always be visible. I hated the app switcher in OS 9- because I couldn't, at a glance, see what all applications were running.
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Exactly! I don't know why people would turn on the "Auto Hide Dock" option... what's the point of having it if it's not always there? (Well, I can understand a hard-core graphics artist doing so, but otherwise...).

I also didn't like the switcher in older OSs... bloody annoying to try and switch when you have to access it through a teeny icon (and with a drop down list! Oi!). :P

I take it you own/work on a Mac?
 
If you can intigrate realplayer and windows media player in an html file, I think it's possible to imbed WinAmp, it just might take a little longer to figure out how...

BTW, does anybody know how to intigrate windows media player in an html file? I want to have an animation I made in an html file, and possibly have it as my background. I don't care if it'll suck up a big chunck of resources, it would still be cool!
 
P.S. Yeah, the autohide sucks. If you don't want to see it, just drag it down so it looks like it's hiding, then if you want to open up a program, expand it and open it up!

One thing about switching programs... Alt+Tab, try it.
 
Originally posted by LoudMusic
I've been dabling in Active Desktop for a while, making rinky dink html desktops for myself. I thought it would be cool to take on a bigger project that more than I will benifit from. I've made a simple Active Desktop style webpage for GTPlanet. It includes the more popular links to items on GTPlanet, plus a few extra fun things (:

It has a javascript date & time script that pulls the date and time from your system and displays it right on the desktop. I've also found a really cool javascript that randomly selects an image from a list and loads it in a given place. Every time your computer refreshes the desktop, there'll be a new image. Pretty cool, eh?

I'm running Windows 2000 SP2 with all the 'critical updates' applied, and Internet Explorer 5.5 SP2. I'm sure that as long as you have everything fully updated, it will work just fine. I do recomend using at least 1024x768 resolution at 24bit color. This makes the images look the best and fit on your screen. I'm using 1600x1200 at 32bit color and it looks really sharp! I also turn off the desktop icons so there isn't any clutter. That takes some getting used to, because you have to find another way of geting to your files. Future version of these desktops will include links to local directories like the desktop folder, the my documents folder, and the system drive.

Well, here are some links so you can see what I'm talking about:

UPDATE: It's all been moved here: https://www.gtplanet.net/multimedia/activedesktop/

To set your computer to use this "Active Desktop", download this zip file (2.2MB), and extract it. Then right click on your desktop and select properties. You will be at "Display Properties" where you can click the Browse button and select the index.hml file that you extract from the zip file. If you don't have Active Desktop enabled, it will ask you if you would like to do that.

In the lower right corner is a link to the users control pannel. Since the required information is pulled from a cookie on your computer, all you have to do is change "LoudMusic" to your GTPlanet nickname ... or whatever you want (: To do that, just open the index.html file in a text editor (like Notepad) and search for "LoudMusic", and replace it.

I hope this works for everyone, and you understand what I'm talking about. If not, that's ok, maybe we can do some education in this thread. I'll try to answer any questions you have.

~LoudMusic
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Where is the link to actually download the active desktop? And does anyone have any screenies of it? The link you gave sent me to the homepage of GTPlanet.

-Chris

EDIT: Ack I was too eager to search two lines further for the download link :banghead:

EDIT: Ok maybe I was right, I clicked the link and it sent me to the homepage of GTPlanet...
 
I've asked Jordan to check for the files. I can't find them anywhere. SORRY GUYS! If I find it I'll be sure to get them on a web server somewhere.

Also, I'm working on some new desktops. Hopefully these will be even more awesome.
 
Originally posted by bustwave.
It hasnt worked for awhile, but the poeple who have it are lazy to upload them.
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By judging from when I posted that message June last year or something, its just insignificant in the big picture.

I suppose.
 
Originally posted by bustwave.
It hasnt worked for awhile, but the poeple who have it are lazy to upload them.
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Gee thanks, jackhole. But you are forgiven because you're apparently a ****ing moron, as the post directly above yours states that I haven't been able to find it.

Originally posted by drprince89.
hey loudmusic whichever desktops you make, id be interested in some.
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I'll be sure and have you help me beta test, if you'd like.
 
I'm not sure I know which desktops you're talking about. If you mean my old desktops, I have no idea. I think they're lost forever. ):
 
Oh, nope. I had not seen it before I created my own. Haven't seen any since. Actually, the Active Desktop platform isn't really used all that much. I've seen some applets people have writen for it, but it all seems over done. I like to keep it simple.
 

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