very old screensavers (and teapots)

  • Thread starter Thread starter J. P. Gilliver (John)
  • Start date Start date
J

J. P. Gilliver (John)

Really old screensavers, from Windows 9x and the like, often (is it
always?) don't run _as screensavers_ (i. e. they will run if run as
executables) under XP and later.

I know there _are_ ways to get them into the rotation, usually by
putting them in some other wrapper (such as
http://www.gaiadreamcreation.com/screensaver-manager/), but these are
rather a kludge and clunky.

_Why_ don't they work? (I presume it's because some of them are seen as
potentially dangerous. But then doesn't that apply to all 'savers?
Couldn't XP/7 popup a warning that it is then your choice whether you
ignore?)

Also: the "pipes" 'saver used to have random teapots if set up correctly
(they appeared as about 1 joint in 1000), but this was removed from XP
onwards. Anyone know why? (Was it pressure from industry, who found
their employees spent too much time teapot-spotting?)

(Anyone know what byte or pair of bytes hold the teapot ratio, in the
old .scr file?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Is the reason they[the crown jewels]'re not insured, that the Queen's got form
because of that fire at Windsor? - Lucy Porter on "The Unbelievable Truth",
2012-April-8
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) said:
Really old screensavers, from Windows 9x and the like, often (is it
always?) don't run _as screensavers_ (i. e. they will run if run as
executables) under XP and later.

I know there _are_ ways to get them into the rotation, usually by
putting them in some other wrapper (such as
http://www.gaiadreamcreation.com/screensaver-manager/), but these are
rather a kludge and clunky.

_Why_ don't they work? (I presume it's because some of them are seen
as potentially dangerous. But then doesn't that apply to all 'savers?
Couldn't XP/7 popup a warning that it is then your choice whether you
ignore?)
Click to expand...

I run Aston 2 on some of my machines) that runs on XP, Vista, 7, and
partly under 8. And one of the things it has is a background changer,
either in rotation or shuffle.

http://www.astonshell.com/aston2/
Also: the "pipes" 'saver used to have random teapots if set up
correctly (they appeared as about 1 joint in 1000), but this was
removed from XP onwards. Anyone know why? (Was it pressure from
industry, who found their employees spent too much time
teapot-spotting?)

(Anyone know what byte or pair of bytes hold the teapot ratio, in the
old .scr file?)
Click to expand...

Teapots? What the hell?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=teapots
 
BillW50 <[email protected]> said:
I run Aston 2 on some of my machines) that runs on XP, Vista, 7, and
partly under 8. And one of the things it has is a background changer,
either in rotation or shuffle.

http://www.astonshell.com/aston2/
Click to expand...

Looks complicated; does it enable the running of old screensavers, which
would answer my question (sort of).

For background changing, I use Panorama; works from pre-XP to 7 at
least. (I know 7 has its own slideshow; too complicated to use IMO.)

http://www.brothersoft.com/panorama-32-172036.html (NOT home site;
that's www.ivory.org, but for some reason is blocking my ISP).
Teapots? What the hell?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=teapots
Click to expand...
That's definitely _not_ what I had in mind (-:! I just meant the Utah
teapots in the pipes screensaver. (And from that description, I think
they may be thinking of a whistling kettle: teapots don't make a sound.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

(If you are unlucky you may choose one of the old-fashioned ones [language
schools] and be taught English as it should be, and not as it is, spoken.)
George Mikes, "How to be Decadent" (1977).
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) said:
Looks complicated; does it enable the running of old screensavers,
which would answer my question (sort of).
Click to expand...

There are two Aston's, versions 1 and 2. And 2 is really easy and 1
could be a bear. Especially if a theme doesn't support you screen
resolution. Lots of scripts and stuff to edit. 2 is totally different,
everything is simple point and click.

Screen savers under Aston? Gee I know a great deal about Aston and
nobody ever asked me that question before. Nor do I know the answer. I
could check it out later if you would like.
For background changing, I use Panorama; works from pre-XP to 7 at
least. (I know 7 has its own slideshow; too complicated to use IMO.)

http://www.brothersoft.com/panorama-32-172036.html (NOT home site;
that's www.ivory.org, but for some reason is blocking my ISP).
Click to expand...

Oh ok. I do sometimes use Windows 7 and 8 slideshow (especially on my
machines without Aston) and it isn't too hard. Aston is easier in the
sense you tell it what folder to use and that is it. 7/8 is like this
too in a way.
That's definitely _not_ what I had in mind (-:! I just meant the Utah
teapots in the pipes screensaver. (And from that description, I think
they may be thinking of a whistling kettle: teapots don't make a
sound.)
Click to expand...

Ah I don't recall either kinds so searching I found that one. I guess I
am just going to fire up an older Windows and check it out. Is pipes.scr
found on Windows 2000 too?
 
In message <[email protected]>, BillW50 <[email protected]>
writes:
[]
There are two Aston's, versions 1 and 2. And 2 is really easy and 1
could be a bear. Especially if a theme doesn't support you screen
resolution. Lots of scripts and stuff to edit. 2 is totally different,
everything is simple point and click.

Screen savers under Aston? Gee I know a great deal about Aston and
nobody ever asked me that question before. Nor do I know the answer. I
could check it out later if you would like.
Click to expand...

Not unless you're going that way. Even in a simplified/improved version,
I don't think I'll be installing a new shell just to run some old
screensavers - too much else might break. (Not least my news and email
client [Turnpike], which works as an Explorer extension.)
Oh ok. I do sometimes use Windows 7 and 8 slideshow (especially on my
machines without Aston) and it isn't too hard. Aston is easier in the
sense you tell it what folder to use and that is it. 7/8 is like this
too in a way.
Click to expand...

OK if all the images you want to use are in the same place. Panorama you
just add the (full) pathnames to its list (IIRR it has a GUI way to help
you do so).
Ah I don't recall either kinds so searching I found that one. I guess I
am just going to fire up an older Windows and check it out. Is pipes.scr
found on Windows 2000 too?
Click to expand...
Not sure. Well, it probably is, but don't know if it's the version with
the teapots or not.

Note that you have to set it up correctly: I _think_ it's just a matter
of specifying mixed as the joint type, but I can't remember for sure.
Takes a while to be sure, as they don't come up that often, and when
they do, if they're "in the distance", you can easily miss them. A
really big (close) one is for some reason very satisfying, though!
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) said:
That's definitely _not_ what I had in mind (-:! I just meant the Utah
teapots in the pipes screensaver. (And from that description, I think
they may be thinking of a whistling kettle: teapots don't make a sound.)
Click to expand...

Examples here.

http://www.eeggs.com/items/493.html

And it's an OpenGL based screensaver. That
page says "Windows NT Easter Egg".

The Utah Teapot appeared enough times in
my graphics magazine, so it would be somewhat
of an inside joke.

*******

Here, the Teapot in (f), enjoys some Gouraud shading.
The other Teapots look sad by comparison. That Teapot
shows up again and again, in lessons. So it looks
like the Windows screensaver got a "good one".

http://cse.csusb.edu/tong/courses/cs420/images/lighting/light-teapots.jpg

( http://cse.csusb.edu/tong/courses/cs420/notes/lighting.php )

Paul
 
Paul said:
Examples here.

http://www.eeggs.com/items/493.html

And it's an OpenGL based screensaver. That
page says "Windows NT Easter Egg".

The Utah Teapot appeared enough times in
my graphics magazine, so it would be somewhat
of an inside joke.

*******

Here, the Teapot in (f), enjoys some Gouraud shading.
The other Teapots look sad by comparison. That Teapot
shows up again and again, in lessons. So it looks
like the Windows screensaver got a "good one".

http://cse.csusb.edu/tong/courses/cs420/images/lighting/light-teapots.jpg

( http://cse.csusb.edu/tong/courses/cs420/notes/lighting.php )
Click to expand...

You know this reminds me a lot of WordArt (found in earlier Word and
Works versions). I tried to find some good examples like the stuff I
used to create. But I saw nothing as good as what I did. Basically you
could make letters into 3D objects. Change the lighting, change the
view, rotate, etc. Here is the best example I could find, but it is
still a poor example of what all you could do.

http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/MW//s6p6.html
 
J. P. Gilliver (John) said:
In message <[email protected]>, BillW50 <[email protected]>
writes:
[]
There are two Aston's, versions 1 and 2. And 2 is really easy and 1
could be a bear. Especially if a theme doesn't support you screen
resolution. Lots of scripts and stuff to edit. 2 is totally
different, everything is simple point and click.

Screen savers under Aston? Gee I know a great deal about Aston and
nobody ever asked me that question before. Nor do I know the answer.
I could check it out later if you would like.
Click to expand...

Not unless you're going that way. Even in a simplified/improved
version, I don't think I'll be installing a new shell just to run some
old screensavers - too much else might break. (Not least my news and
email client [Turnpike], which works as an Explorer extension.)
Click to expand...

Actually they should work just fine. Explorer is still there, just the
shell isn't (under some of the possible configurations anyway under
Aston2). And I can't think of anything that breaks (even with everything
enabled). And I have been using Aston 1 and 2 since 2006 or earlier.
OK if all the images you want to use are in the same place. Panorama
you just add the (full) pathnames to its list (IIRR it has a GUI way
to help you do so).
Click to expand...

Ok, I don't know if a folder with shortcuts to backgrounds all over
would do the same thing under Aston2, it might. Also you might be able
to do this with scripts under Aston2, not sure.
Not sure. Well, it probably is, but don't know if it's the version
with the teapots or not.

Note that you have to set it up correctly: I _think_ it's just a
matter of specifying mixed as the joint type, but I can't remember for
sure. Takes a while to be sure, as they don't come up that often, and
when they do, if they're "in the distance", you can easily miss them.
A really big (close) one is for some reason very satisfying, though!
Click to expand...

That sounds very interesting. I sure love to experiment and I don't know
how I missed this one. ;-)
 
Nope, not really. I wasn't much for screen savers. I'd just hit the
power switch on the monitor mostly. But now I am curious and will fire
up some older Windows and check it out. ;-)
Click to expand...

There was also the taller one, a coffee pot?
 
On 2/23/2014, J. P. Gilliver (John) posted:

....
Also: the "pipes" 'saver used to have random teapots if set up
correctly (they appeared as about 1 joint in 1000), but this was
removed from XP onwards. Anyone know why? (Was it pressure from
industry, who found their employees spent too much time
teapot-spotting?)
Click to expand...

OK, I never knew this, which is why your reply in my Magritte subthread
mystified me completely!

Thanks, my ignorance has now evaporated. (OK, only *some* of it!)
 
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