Is there an animated desktop for Windows 7?

[Al Smith]

I'm thinking my computer has enough power to run a simple animated
desktop -- a nature scene that isn't static, but is recorded over
a span of a few hours and looped. Or a city street scene that does
the same thing. Or a subway scene. Does such a free animated
desktop exist for Windows 7?

-Al-

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

I'm thinking my computer has enough power to run a simple animated
desktop -- a nature scene that isn't static, but is recorded over a
span of a few hours and looped. Or a city street scene that does the
same thing. Or a subway scene. Does such a free animated desktop
exist for Windows 7?

I don't think so. There is no "Active Desktop" option in Windows 7. I
used to use a scripted HTML page for my desktop, but no longer. I have
compensated by using a HTA script that fills the whole screen.

I would love to be proved wrong.

 

[Dave-UK]

I'm thinking my computer has enough power to run a simple animated
desktop -- a nature scene that isn't static, but is recorded over
a span of a few hours and looped. Or a city street scene that does
the same thing. Or a subway scene. Does such a free animated
desktop exist for Windows 7?

-Al-

Apparently you can hack Win7 to run Vista's Dreamscene:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/01/14/how-to-install-and-enable-dreamscene-in-windows-7/

 

[Al Smith]

Apparently you can hack Win7 to run Vista's Dreamscene:
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2009/01/14/how-to-install-and-enable-dreamscene-in-windows-7/

I ran across that in my Googling, and it seems to be the only
thing going since for some reason Microsoft had animated desktops
in Vista, but took them out for Windows 7. I may try it, but I was
really looking for something simpler, and free -- a download I
could just run and get an animated desktop. The idea of animated
desktop doesn't seem too popular. Years ago, I had one when I was
using Linux, and I sort of liked it ... it was moving water at the
bottom of the screen. Funny Microsoft still hasn't caught up with
Linux in this regard.

-Al-

 

[Dave-UK]

I ran across that in my Googling, and it seems to be the only
thing going since for some reason Microsoft had animated desktops
in Vista, but took them out for Windows 7. I may try it, but I was
really looking for something simpler, and free -- a download I
could just run and get an animated desktop. The idea of animated
desktop doesn't seem too popular. Years ago, I had one when I was
using Linux, and I sort of liked it ... it was moving water at the
bottom of the screen. Funny Microsoft still hasn't caught up with
Linux in this regard.

-Al-

I don't think it's a question of catching up. Microsoft removed the active
desktop because they considered it a security risk. I believe the same thinking
disabled animated gifs.

 

[Al Smith]

I don't think it's a question of catching up. Microsoft removed the
active desktop because they considered it a security risk. I believe the
same thinking
disabled animated gifs.

I did not know that. I assumed it must have been for CPU cycle issues.

-Al-

 

[Dave-UK]

I did not know that. I assumed it must have been for CPU cycle issues.

-Al-

I believe Active Desktop was removed starting with Vista. The whole desktop
thinking was overhauled to incorporate UAC and other security enhancements.
I've read about this but can't remember where right now. I'll see if I can dig up
any more about it.
Maybe any MVP with desktop experience reading this can fill in the details or
correct any inaccuracies.

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

I believe Active Desktop was removed starting with Vista. The whole
desktop thinking was overhauled to incorporate UAC and other security
enhancements. I've read about this but can't remember where right
now. I'll see if I can dig up any more about it. Maybe any MVP with
desktop experience reading this can fill in the details or correct
any inaccuracies.

Well, I want my Active Desktop back, thank you. I used it for ten years
with Windows 2000 without getting hacked, infected, or abducted by
aliens. The option to disable it was always there. Why should I suffer
to protect the clueless?

 

[Metspitzer]

Well, I want my Active Desktop back, thank you. I used it for ten years
with Windows 2000 without getting hacked, infected, or abducted by
aliens. The option to disable it was always there. Why should I suffer
to protect the clueless?

Someone should come up with a screen saver that takes a snapshot of
the screen. Then float moving objects across the screen. It would be
really cool to allow users to make different objects to add.