Neowin.net News Screen Saver 2.0

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Here is the Neowin.net News Screen Saver! This screensaver displays the main and software news, as well as the latest forum posts. It has many available configuration options. Just download it and try it. You'll like it.

You need the .NET Framework 1.1 to use this screensaver. The installer will not warn you if it is not present. You can download here.

What's new:

Configuration screen supports Windows XP themes
Main news, software news, gamer news, and new forum posts can now be enabled and disabled
Support for gamer news added (see above), not enabled by default
The title text in the screensaver is changed for each section
The user can now choose to go to the page associated with the active section when [Enter] is pressed, ex. the software section is active, the user presses [Enter], and Neowin opens to software news
About box added (with scrolling credits!)

Download: Neowin.net News Screen Saver

View: Neowin.net News Screen Saver Forum Thread

News source: Neowin Software (Branding) Contribution Forum

Instructions:

Click on the link to the setup program and click Open or Save. If you chose Save, select a location then browse to the folder where you saved it to and double-click the executable.

Click Next then Install to begin the installation.

Click Finish to dismiss the installer.

Click Start, then Control Panel. Select Display (choose Appearance and Themes first if using Category View), then click the Screen Saver tab.

Select "Neowin" in the list of screen savers.

Click Settings and personalize your Neowin.net News Screen Saver.

Click Preview to try it out, or click OK and leave your computer idle to experience it!

#1 Jasco on 28 Nov 2003 - 10:59

#2 peeete on 28 Nov 2003 - 11:09

does it come in "linux"

(1 reply) #3 blitz on 28 Nov 2003 - 11:12

>You need the .NET Framework 1.1 to use this screensaver.

duh ... it's just a screensaver

#3.1 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 03:01

Just get it.

I'm not lazy, the .NET Framework provides great functionality. I am a Visual Basic .NET programmer, and I can leverage my skills. The .NET Framework provides a whole lot of functionality. It would have taken weeks, if not months, to write the screensaver as well as an RSS interpreter in VB6.

Some of the things in the .NET Framework I used:

System.IO.StreamReader and System.IO.StreamWriter Simple text file I/O
System.XML.XmlTextReader and System.XML.XmlTextWriter SAX XML parsing
System.Net.HttpWebRequest Advanced file downloads
System.Windows.Forms.Cursor Makes it easy to hide the cursor

Every one of these is hard to implement in VB6 save file I/O. Most of the above also would require lots of annoying and hard-to-implement API calls. It isn't a zillion system gizmos, it's a set of libraries where almost every class is useful to a programmer. It isn't bloated, it just makes it easier to code. Much easier.

It's not about laziness, it's about time and how you use it.

#4 Smufie on 28 Nov 2003 - 12:12

duh.... it's a screensaver programmed in .NET so offcourse you need it!

Btw, cool idea this new screensaver, this will replace the standard XP one for sure!

Yep, it's very nice! I like the idea when I come back to my machine, I can quickly check out the news... though I also have your RDF Feeds on my Dashboard

Could you add the option, so that you could choose which news it should cycle through?

And maybe add a News Title, like Software News, Latest Forum Posts etc... would also be nice

Last edited by 38182 on 28 Nov 2003 - 13:44

#5 illusion on 28 Nov 2003 - 12:59

its just gr8!
thanx neowin

#6 =Syntax= on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:02

Wickedness :p

#7 tapnet on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:03

let take a lookseee

#8 Lomex on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:04

Found a bug.

When you are behind a proxy it doesn't work.

Error:
The remote server returned an error: (407) Proxy Authentication Required.

#9 tapnet on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:10

I like it

thanks Neowin

#10 Sushubh on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:17

i have to go to windows update to run this screensaver

(3 replies) #11 Tartan on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:18

yes I agree with adding titles to each piece of news, also the main static title should scroll or something to prevent long term screen burn.

#11.1 Jstphish on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:13

You do realize that monitors nowadays don't need screensavers. Actually, they haven't needed them for years because screenburn has been virtually eliminated.

#11.2 Smufie on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:36

Yep, a screensaver nowadays isn't actually a screenSAVER, it's just for fun, like wallpapers and stuff!

#11.3 conan_2000 on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:54

My work computer says otherwise, the company logo is well and truly stuck there. Also LCD monitors can still suffer quite a bit from screenburn.

#12 Dutchwall on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:21

i like this kind of thing

but when i exit the screensaver would be nice if ie isn't going to neowin

#13 ht990332 on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:53

It crashes on my PC on winxpsp1 with dotnet framework 1.1
I already have other applications running that require dotnet framework 1.1 reinstalled and they work fine so I don't know why this one does not.

#14 Neobond on 28 Nov 2003 - 16:59

nice!

(2 replies) #15 =Syntax= on 28 Nov 2003 - 17:06

It's nice, but does it auto update itself to the latest news and stuff ?? Or does it just carry the news at the time of install ?

#15.1 Jstphish on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:13

Think about that question ...

#15.2 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:17

1. Every 60 seconds it pulls the latest Neowin software and main news feeds.
2. Every time the latest forum posts are displayed it updates the forum post list (it displays forum news approximately every 30 seconds).
3. Gamer news support is coming soon.

#16 GSDragoon on 28 Nov 2003 - 17:44

Wow, sounds awesome.

#17 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:15

To everyone who's using my screensaver: thanks!

I answered some questions like support for gamer news in the forum thread.

(2 replies) #18 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:49

I have an updated installer, it is slightly larger because it now includes the Lucida Grande font used by the header and has an option to start Display Properties at the end.

It is available here.

@Voodoo: Could you please update the file on the Neowin server to this, as well as update the install instructions to the version in the forum thread? Thanks a whole lot.

Last edited by 25569 on 28 Nov 2003 - 18:57

#18.1 Voodoo on 28 Nov 2003 - 20:57

done

#18.2 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 21:01

Thanks a lot.

#19 casanova on 28 Nov 2003 - 20:16

you have a screeny

#20 j005u on 28 Nov 2003 - 20:23

heh, nice, an option to choose the category dispalyed (for example forums only.. ) would be nice..

(1 reply) #21 Sushubh on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:18

hmm... 24 megs for a screensaver a new record for me.
now, any possibility to make the news lines clickable?
plus, i installed .netframework from winupdate.
now, where is the local installer present.
i don't want to do the download again next time.

After using the screensaver...
why do neowin want us to visit less to the site for the updates?

just kidding.
i would really like if the news in the screensaver are clickable

reminds me of active desktop, just that it works

Last edited by 30086 on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:30

#21.1 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:52

That 24 megabytes includes the .NET Framework, a package that is being used in more and more applications. It is needed for applications written with Visual Studio .NET, the latest version of Microsoft's development tools.

If you did it through Windows Update, the install package is gone now. it was downloaded to a temp folder then deleted when it completed successfully. You'll have to download the "redistributable package" from the page mentioned above.

You can't click the news, but you can press [Enter] to go to Neowin.net. You can enable or disable, as well as change the associated URL, the [Enter] key feature.

Edit: New in 2.0 and higher!: Press [Enter] when software news is being displayed and Neowin.net will open to software news. Same with the forum, gamers news, and main news. This feature is not on by default and can be enabled in Settings.

Last edited by 25569 on 29 Nov 2003 - 22:54

(1 reply) #22 CheeseCow on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:34

I agree. I don't like the .net framework, it installs a zillion system gizmos I don't need, just because some programmers are too lazy to create something from scratch.

I haven't installed the silly .net framework since I re-installed last time, and I am not going to just to get this wonderful screensaver. What's next, you'll need the .net framework to play 3D games? geez...

#22.1 Nom on 01 Dec 2003 - 14:01

I agree. I don't like the .net framework, it installs a zillion system gizmos I don't need, just because some programmers are too lazy to create something from scratch.

Who cares ? Soon everything will be .NET - it's not like you have a choice.

I haven't installed the silly .net framework since I re-installed last time, and I am not going to just to get this wonderful screensaver.

Why on earth not ?
And why is it "silly" ?

What's next, you'll need the .net framework to play 3D games? geez...

That's exactly what you'll need.

#23 memodude on 28 Nov 2003 - 22:53

I'm going to start on the enable/disable support for the individual Neowin sections, as well as add Gamer news support. Gamer news support will be disabled by default, but enableable in Settings.

(2 replies) #24 DJ Specs on 29 Nov 2003 - 00:02

Screw .net I hate how it mucks things up. I'll never instal .net again. MS is gay.

#24.1 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 00:46

WYP? Why do you, a Microsoft-hater with no reason to hate Microsoft, post idiotic comments about Microsoft and .NET in the news post about my screensaver?

#24.2 Smufie on 29 Nov 2003 - 11:23

It's not MS' fault, that a user can't handle a computer!

.NET is simple awesome...

(1 reply) #25 neostyle on 29 Nov 2003 - 00:33

very nice thx

#25.1 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 02:05

You're welcome.

#26 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 02:02

Version 2.0 is almost done! I'm going to test it a little more then package it up as an installer and add it to my site.

#27 teka on 29 Nov 2003 - 03:40

I only thing I don't like about the screensaver is the Neowinlogo. It's not complete, so when I use a costumized backroung colour it doesn't look good...

(2 replies) #28 Davey on 29 Nov 2003 - 13:58

Sorry but i tend to agree that you 'need' Framework to use the screensaver? And yes someone got lazy.

Why not create a screensaver for systems with Framework and ones without.

And no i dont need Framework on my system so hence its not installed.

#28.1 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 16:03

Why do you people post the most retarded comments about the .NET Framework? Do you realize you don't even know what it is? Do you feel stupid now?

It's not about laziness, it's about developing applications faster without stupid fluff in C++.

QUOTE

Why not create a screensaver for systems with Framework and ones without.

Well, that would be a total waste, because that would mean a total rewrite of it for no reason...

Look: The .NET Framework provides lots of classes, so I don't have to go hunt out and figure out how to write a Declare statement for each API. The .NET Framework is not something you "need" to use your computer. However, it is needed more and more and more for applications you get. The .NET Framework is being used more and more. If you download it now, you won't have to download it later.

#28.2 Smufie on 29 Nov 2003 - 21:14

That is completely nonsense! The .NET Framework is just runtime files for programs(nothing more, nothing less), just like you need VB runtimes if you are going to run Visual Basic programs. Only different is that it is a big large in size, but with almost everyone with ADSL, that shouldn't be a problem!
I use 2 programs based on .NET(and this screensaver), and I don't really understand what all the problems is, because there seems to be none!

And yes, you need(you say you don't, but the thing is you do actually) the Framework to use this screensaver, so why don't you just download, install, because it seems like you'd like to use this one... it's really not a big deal!
IT'S JUST RUNTIME FILES!!!

(1 reply) #29 ELeVeNtY on 29 Nov 2003 - 20:19

This screeny OWNS!!

#29.1 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 22:50

Thanks.

(1 reply) #30 memodude on 29 Nov 2003 - 22:52

Version 2.1 is out! Download at the forum thread. It's faster now due to compiler optimizations, and better because of a few bug fixes. It also now also supports proxies and has a better about box.

#30.1 Arkayz on 30 Nov 2003 - 07:50

Is there someplace within the screensaver settings or in the display where it says the version you have installed? I couldn't find it in the version I have (installed yesterday so I'm not sure which I have). If it's not that might be something to think about adding. If it's already there (or added to a newer version) and I'm blind ignore this message.

That being said I'm downloading it again heh.

Edit: NM I see it was added. How about an option to delay the times between screens? It goes a little fast to read all the posts.

#31 memodude on 30 Nov 2003 - 18:04

What's Going to be Implemented in v2.5

* fix
+ addition

+ Ignore [Scroll Lock] key when pressed
* Add error handling to solve time-out and other exceptions
* Decode HTML escape sequences
+ Option to modify delay between sections

This comment will be edited with more suggestions later

(1 reply) #32 Nos4ah2 on 01 Dec 2003 - 15:49

FANTASTIC screensaver!!!!

Great idea, and wonderfully implemented!

Thank you!

#32.1 memodude on 01 Dec 2003 - 23:21

Glad you like it!

(1 reply) #33 digidep on 01 Dec 2003 - 19:55

could you make this support multiple monitors?

#33.1 memodude on 01 Dec 2003 - 23:21

I might add multimonitor support in v2.5. However, the second screen would be just black. I might do something. Hmm. :p

#34 dougkinzinger on 04 Dec 2003 - 13:00

Memodude -- if you add MultiMon support I will love you for a very, very long time. Seriously.

(nah, I'm just kidding!)

(about the loving long time part)

(but not about the multi-mon support!)

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