Blog: Natural Desktop, To-Do Lists

Saturday, July 17, 2004 by Frogboy | Discussion: WinCustomize News

One of the projects we're working on right now that's been quite a blast is tentatively called The Natural Desktop.  It's similar in execution to Aquarium Desktop. Aquarium Desktop has done so well that it makes sense to come up with other ideas to let people make their desktop come alive. 

So in Natural Desktop, we're contracted well known composer Mason Fisher to put together natural sounds based on what time of the day it is and current weather conditions. Those of us stuck working in-doors can appreciate having a subtle background sound of morning doves and birds chirping or the occasional cicada in the background. Or if it's raining the gentle sound of rain falling.  The second part of the project, the visual part, is a wallpaper project where we're scouting around for top wallpaper authors to put together good wallpapers of scenery depending on a) the time of day and the season.  So the wallpaper would change over the course of the day based on what time of year it is.  The last part is a dynamic weather widget which blows away any weather object that's been made so far (totally animated at all times, it's really amazing).  We're hoping to get this out by the first week of August but it depends on our success in getting the wallpapers together. 

Speaking of Aquarium Desktop, we are looking at putting out booster packs for it that provide additional fish. We've gotten some new fish rendered and should be ready in the next several weeks to start making those available. They would go right along side the existing fish that make up the Aquarium desktop.

We hope to have a new ObjectDock Plus beta ready to go in the next day or two.  Tons of little glitches have been fixed, most of which I'd never noticed but users reported and got reproduced/fixed. I will try to put together a video of ObjectDock Plus in action.  The screenshots, as others can tell you, don't really tell the story.  I'm using it probably in a very unusual way.  I have a series of ONE tab docks strewn about my screen now.  Think of them as drawers. Docks can be shaped in weird ways.  So I have various drawers on my desktop that I keep various "things" in.

It gave me an idea for an ObjectDock Plugin I'd like to see.  I'd like to see a plugin that when clicked on creates a "To-Do" item. So when I click on it, a little bubble appears and I type in what I have to do. It then creates a new ObjectDock icon with its own distinct icon.  I could then move these items to my "To-Do" drawers.  When I finish that task, I can go to the drawer and drag it off and feel a bit of satisfaction watching that "Puff".  I don't know if ObjectDock supports virtual icons (i.e. items that aren't anchored to something that resides on your hard disk). But if not, that's something I think would be pretty neat.

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farkusmarkus
Reply #21 Saturday, July 17, 2004 9:50 PM
On the topic of Objectdock, I wouldn't mind seeing the ability to reserve the desktop space that the dock occupies. I'm the kinda person that tends to stockpile icons on the desktop from time to time and I'm constantly fishing icons out from under the dock.
MindlessPuppet
Reply #22 Sunday, July 18, 2004 2:04 AM
"When I'm working in the morning, I want to hear those morning doves. that's the things that makes me most conscious about working in the summer is that I'm inside with just the usual office sound. I want to hear the outside or something like it."

... And most of all I want to smell that rich aroma... the best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup.

I couldn't help myself.
Septimus
Reply #23 Sunday, July 18, 2004 5:55 AM
Like the Natural Desktop idea. Just please let it support 1600x1200
Chuckf1
Reply #24 Sunday, July 18, 2004 9:48 AM
I too, look forward the the Natural Desktop plan-bring it on!
Latin4567
Reply #25 Sunday, July 18, 2004 12:36 PM
but it was my idea!
_Martin_
Reply #26 Sunday, July 18, 2004 1:03 PM
Latin - shall I bother to show you a desktop like this that myself and someone else briefly worked on about 5 months ago? Let's not get petty - just because you shouted about it doesn't mean you had the idea first.
songman
Reply #27 Sunday, July 18, 2004 2:51 PM
The natural desktop idea is very cool. Have you guys already picked out all the walls? Seeking submissions from us, perhaps, or open to 'em? Either way, I look forward to the finished product.
flipdoubt
Reply #28 Sunday, July 18, 2004 4:30 PM
I can't believe noone seems to care about the To-Do List idea other than me.
jelvis
Reply #29 Monday, July 19, 2004 6:09 AM
I care about the To-Do list as well! I was not considering buying OD Plus (since I hade some stability issues with its free sibling) but a working to-do list would change all that.
Matchbook
Reply #30 Monday, July 19, 2004 11:15 AM
I'm happy to provide you with as many wallpapers/photographs as you need. If I haven't taken the photo yet, I will hehe.. Some of my [hundreds, total] photos are at:
http://www.spyderbyte.ca/gallery
Simply navigate to the "Photos" section and take a peek. Any of the photos there are available in high resolution, as well so don't let the small sizes deter you.

-Great idea, too. I hope to be included, in some way.

PS: If you're looking for a specific photo and don't see it, don't hesitate to ask as I have literally hundreds of photographs - I've just yet to upload them all. Things from the typical waterfalls [ooh, ah..! lol] to lakes, rivers etc.. Just let me know.
UnSpoknOne
Reply #31 Tuesday, July 20, 2004 9:29 AM
Shoot, I had that idea years ago,(if i didnt procrastinate so darn much, i probably would have done one back then) I looked for programs that would do that (went on many forums, and i googled a whole damn lot), got intrested in it ever since i downloaded Drempels way back when, i love animated desktops... i have been searching for quite some time, and didnt find many programs that could do it (except for the mac i believe)... i like this idea alot, certainly looking foward to it. certainly looking forward to many...many...more animated desktops.

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