This is a kind of Readme-file for ping.html, an Active Desktop Wep Page. I gave it the structure of a FAQ.
What is an Active Desktop?
Something Microsoft invented to enable you to use HTML-files instead of bitmaps as desktop wallpapers. If you have Windows 98 or later, it is very likely that you also have Active Desktop. And if you know how to install a bitmap as new desktop wallpaper, you also know how to install a webpage as living desktop wallpaper.
Install the content of ping.zip in a folder of your choice (like, say, c:\ping\). Open the desktop configuration dialog within the system configuration (the dialog where you select the different desktop wallpapers). Chose c:\ping\ping.html as your wallpaper. Done.
Where can I get ping.zip?
Try this: http://www.janthor.com/ping/ping.zip.
What does ping.zip contain, and how large is it?
240 KB zipped, 256 KB unzipped, with the following files:
blkmarble.jpg
briefs.gif
controls.gif
dakota.gif
index.html
kopf.gif
latex.gif
lizard_scales.jpg
lyap.gif
muster.gif
ping.html
RW37_2.gif
scraped_metal.jpg
SLIME16.gif
standard.gif
technik.gif
TP2_1.gif
WATER01.JPG
The same files can be found within the directory "http://www.janthor.com/ping/".
Can I view it with a web browser? Can I view it online?
Yes and no. Since I inteded it to be used as an Active Desktop, I didn't care much about compatibility with Netscape Navigator. To use ping.html with Netscape, one would have to replace all the code with the div-tags with code with layer-tags. Short: it doesn't work with Netscape. With Internet Explorer, you can view it online by clicking here. If you are accessing this page online (and perhaps from a non-european server), please allow the page some time to load.
How do I use it?
You have to double-click on the words in the lower right corner. You can select from a list of backgrounds or actors, or you can change the manner of movement.
Why do I have to double-click? Isn't that a little bit inconvenient, since single-click would suffice?
This would be no problem, if you view the page with a web browser (wether online or on your local drive). But Active Desktop ignores or misinterprets single clicks.
I dislike the default settings. How can I change them (make ping start with another choice of background/actor)?
It would be possible to store changes in the setting via cookies (online) or Java (offline), but hey: I made this little nothing one evening after work, so what do you expect?
Okay, what you can do is this: you can change the source code of ping.html. Open ping.html with your favourite text editor. Search the line "//set the backgrounds". Change the line "#hintergrund3 {visibility=visible;}" to "#hintergrund3 {visibility=hidden;}". Change the line of your favourite background to "#hintergrund??? {visibility=visible;}". Search the line "//actors". Change the line "#eli {visibility=visible;}" to "#eli {visibility=hidden;}". Change the line with your favourite actor to "#??? {visibility=visible;}". Save the file as "text-only". Done.
Can I use my own images?
Yes, if you rename them. Let's assume that you want to use a file called myimage.gif as new backgrund file. Copy myimage.gif into the same folder as ping.html. Rename muster.gif to something like oldmuster.gif. Rename myimage.gif to muster.gif. The same can be done with standard.gif to replace standard.gif with your own image (which should be 192 pixels wide and 256 pixels high).
Are those files copyright protected? May I copy and redistribute them?
The files controls.gif, kopf.gif, lyap.gif, muster.gif and technik.gif are created by me and are copyright-protected. They may be redistributed only together with ping.html, and only to be used together with ping.html, for no other purpose. The files blkmarble.jpg, lizard_scales.jpg, scraped_metal.jpg and WATER01.JPG are part of the KDE distribution (a graphical interface for Linux). The files RW37_2.gif, SLIME16.gif and TP2_1.gif are taken from the game
The files briefs.gif and standard.gif are drawings I made, and dakota.gif and latex.gif are based on photos I altered and processed. They may be redistributed only together with ping.html, and only to be used together with ping.html, for no other purpose.
The file ping.html or ping.zip may be copied and redistributed, as long as you do not take any money for them. If you decide to copy any of my image files, you also have to include this file and the original version of ping.html.
You may feel free to use, copy or alter the source code of ping.html.
What if I crash my hard drive with your file and ruin all my memory? May I sue you?
No, thanks. This comes with no warranty of any kind.
When did you made this?
This file: 11th april 2000. ping.html: 10th april 2000. The images: some time ago, for details see my web page.
Why do you write such a strange kind of English?
Because English is not my native language.
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