Reviews of WinXP MCE 2005 Goldfish Aquarium (English ver)
 

Ok, my friend just pass me this English version of GA-MCE

Here's the screenshot of the setting, it's simply called Aquarium in the Display properties panel, not Goldfish Aquarium....interesting naming here....

This is the main setting panel, notice that the two tanks named with "Lush Plants" and "Zen Garden", so the square stone is meant to be Zen related...but I don't see any point. :p

And then there's change tank slider bar, with Less often and More often tendency in two sides, the rest is self-explanatory

Then it's the window from the Display Setting button.

Again, notice that they name the"Widescreen" as "Letterbox", very interesting naming here again!!!

Last but not least, here's the About window.

There're no different between Simplified Chinese version and the original English version, except the naming in setting panel.

Conclusion: A nice pretty screensaver with intuitive and hessel free GUI. Another a must have SS from original GA.

By the way, Does anyone want the English version of this GA-MCE?

If the responses are high enough, I'll consider to upload to my web server. However, I'll first to find out is it a legal way to do that. I'm still very concerned.

pls. count me in the list

If it is legal (i suppose it's licensed as a part of the MCE), i would like to take a look at it.
Thanks.

can you use both programs(screensavers) GA and GA-MCE at the same computer? I mean if the GA and GA-MCE settings are saved in separate parts of the registry...

I'm sure it is licensed as a part of the MCE, but I'm not the one who own it, it's my friend, I just take tha .scr file out of it. Not sure this action is legal or not.


Of course they are separate, GA-MCE don't even have to installe, you just put the .src file under the window's root folder and that's all.

Thier setting panel is totally different(even less settings compare to original GA) as you can see on my review, so it won't mess up together.

well, so far only 4 ppl interest.....hmmm.....

anyway, I'll find out the license thing first

The registry location for GA-MCE is here

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Plus\GFMS

It's funny that it's under Windows Plus section, this remind me of the 3 fish version of MA embedded in WinXP Plus! see here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Plus/windowsxp/ss.asp
and
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Plu.../more_fish.asp

below is the jey value in it.....it looks like the other setting we can adjust in original GA can be tuned here, such as debris, bubble column/frequency ect ext.....

I'm now playing with it....it looks fun to tweaking the tank....

I think the reason they name this tank as the Zen Garden is refere to the blue gravel and the squared rocks, just a though.

But the real Japanese Zen garden has more things like little bridge and a well, more like the FWTank08 in AG......

anyway.

I think the "Zen" part refers to it's artistic simplicity, which promotes a serene mood, so the intellect can be given over to contemplation of the harmony of Yin and Yang.

The blue gravel is, I think, a concession to the "Zen on Acid" fans.

;)

I found the Freida in GA-MCE has a strip of white pattern onits backfin that I don't see in original GA, and the Freida in the fish selection panel doesn't have it too.

I wonder this might be a texture bug somehow!

Sounds good to me. Add me to the list. :TU:

Alright, this is what you've been waiting for, I've decided to put it up, but since only 6~7 people request it, I'll just put it up for 1 day or when the counter reaches to 10, then I'll remove it.

Just click the attachment link below and it should start to download.

Enjoy!

Ops! it refuses to run without MCE.

Hi James, I to am having problems running this screensaver, it say "The Aquarium screen saver that is installed with Windows Digital Enhancements works only on WindowsXP Media Centre", any way round this. Jim

I found this screenshot of some aquarium screensaver on one site......

I can imagine the conversation behind the scenes at Prolific.

Reichart "Will, the guys on the Fan Forum figured out where to get Goldfish for Windows Media Center. Is this going to be an issue?"

Will "No problem. It doesn't work on ordinary versions of Windows."

It does work, Just you need to do a little "black magic" to make it work on standard WindowsXP. I thought you people could figure it out. It's not that hard anyway.

And since it's protected, that's why I feel comfortable to make it available for download.

Anyway, I've been out for whole day and the download counter is reaching 18 now, I'll remove the file soon.

Well, I downloaded it out of curiosity but haven't tried to install it yet, and since it doesn't work on Win2K, I'll just hang on to it as memorabilia. :)

Are you going to tell us the "Black Magic" we must work on it James, or is ignorance bliss ;), can you tell me how to work the magic. jimkraz@omne.uk.net

Well, it shouldn't be too hard to figure it out, if I tell you exactly how to make it work, then I'm REALLY playing against with law. I don't want to be like this kind of person since I always support the software I like, for example, even I can make the demo version of GA working like full version without the key code, I'm still paying for it, because I wanna support it, therefore I rather make myself a truethful person rather than some people not pay a buck but keep on cracking softwares. (Prolific people could check my purchase proof with my order number GAPC-NZ-20030422053616-932606).

I make GA-MCE working on my WinXP is purely for my own interest, maybe I've already breaking the license agreement with M$, but I only make it working available to myself, and I remain it intact when distribute around publicly on a forum. This is the furthest point I can do.

If anyone who download it could figure it out her/him-self, great, if can't, then I'm sorry.

Anyway, reply me if any of you still doesn't agree with me or any other queries or complains.

Must be a bug with Firefox. All I see is:

Attachment: click here to download ga-mce .txt
This has been downloaded 21 time(s).

Yes, it's strange. I just got a file called "click.php", and opening it with a text editor i saw an URL to a .zip file. That .zip file no longer exists.

Please add me to the list, too.:)

I've removed the file yesterday night, so the file no longer exist. I still don't feel confortable to put it up for long period even the file is remain intact as it's from MCE, the reasons for I do not wish to release the "magic" applied is already stated above.

Yes I couldn't get it either. I downloaded it but couldn't get it until this morning and now it's not there.:( :confused:

I would like to ask people please do not send me any more PM for requesting a copy of GA-MCE which is working on standard WinXP, I won't put myself in danger against with law, so I won't email you the copy even you give me your email address in PM.

There're several people PM and email me about this issue and they warn me to stay down, so I'll take thier suggestion. (Those people are my lovely friends on this forum who really care me a lot, thanks to you guys!)

+list pls

Could someone from Prolific be so kind as to speak up on this matter?

That's what I've been expcting for, I feel so insecured abuot this issue, I was actualy hoping someone from Prolific would speak up on the first day when I post my review on GA-MCE.

Thanks for addresing this out directly for me Doc. :):)

...I mean, they have to know that all of us here talking about it already own the normal version, so it's not like we didn't pay for something, but all the same we didn't buy that version and I'm pretty sure it's not part of what they'd consider to be "free upgrades" but they're pretty nice people... Of course, Microsoft isn't quite so nice... :rolleyes:

...and I hear WHGIII is a lurker in these waters... ;)

no answers?? I would like a copy but.....

my 2 cents.

Q-Beam

James, your instinct that you might be on shaky legal ground is probably right, and I'm glad you pulled the file. I'm no lawyer, but I suspect that distributing software, whether or not you tell people how to use it illegally, is probably not going to be thought of kindly by the people whose livelihood depends upon sales of that software... and I'm one of those people.


NOTE: This is my own opinion, and in no way represents the views of Prolific. I actually don't know what Prolific's official position is.

Is Goldfish Aquarium sold for MCE or is it included?

A special version of GA is included with MCE... it's a version with blue gravel, to tie in with Microsoft's color scheme.

I was leery of the blue gravel idea at first, but after working on it for a while, I came to like it. I know it looks more artificial, but at least it's less dreary than brown...

will be the oficial GA extended with this blue gravel and those special rocks tank?