** Version 1.1 Announcement ** - Page 7

Jim Sachs · 02-17-2002, 10:32 AM

Santa doesn't get obscenity-laced hate mail from the kids (except maybe from South Park).

feldon34 · 02-17-2002, 10:34 AM

Jim, we're bored.

Can you forward some of the better e-mails to me and I'll put em up, stripping the names out of course. I'll put a big warning about obscenity and hiding your kid's eyes and stuff.

The SereneScreen Hall of Shame
People who don't know what "soon" means.

FishyBusiness · 02-17-2002, 02:21 PM

Feldon,

Wouldn't that just fan the flames. I mean people(for the most part) would try to out do each others email whne they read the hate mail.

Of course, there will be the people that say nice things to Jim to combat all of the hate mail but, unfortunately in this society, I think they would be the minority.

People are funny. I think having the annonymous nature of the internet shows what people are REALLY like. I think it shows that a lot of people have evil in their hearts and the only reason why they are good is because of fear of reprocussions. It seems that most people ARE NOT voluntarily good.

Jim Sachs · 02-17-2002, 10:21 PM

I believe that the majority of people are basically good, but when the numbers get this big, the 1% fringe can seem overwhelming. If only 1 person in 1000 is a homicidal maniac, then there are 50 homicidal maniacs running around in a packed footbal stadium (or emailing ME!).

Kitey · 02-18-2002, 05:53 AM

Hello, just thought I'd say what a wonderful site this is and thanks for the welcome!
I'm just about to pay my 20 dollars for the full version as I've had the trial for the weekend and thought it was top drawer stuff.
Well done for all your hard work. You have a quality product here
Take it easy Kitey

feldon34 · 02-18-2002, 01:11 PM

Make sure you get it BEFORE Wednesday. The price goes up to $22 on Wednesday. Either way you get the Lionfish, it's just $2 cheaper today and tomorrow.

Shinsa · 02-18-2002, 07:23 PM

Kitey,

Welcome to the forum. I hope you don't judge us all by the few that have "issues". Most of the people here are very friendly, and will most gleefully help you with any problems you have with the Screen saver (or heck, any question at all for that matter!

)

BTW: Are you really in England?

Cheers!

Mac · 02-18-2002, 07:59 PM

Dear Mr Sachs

may i trouble you to just breifly summaries the new features in v1.1

and perhaps a sneak preview list of features in your next version.

thanks a million

your lifetime fan and supporter 8)

mac
from singapore.

ps. i figured us forum folks would be on the privilege list and always be first to get the latest version/revision.

... just teasing!! ... n hoping!!

feldon34 · 02-18-2002, 08:22 PM

-Red Volitan Lionfish
-New fish avoidance where bigger fish scare smaller fish sometimes
-Choice of Black, Dark Blue, Blue, and Green background fade
-Better password protection under Windows 95, 98, and ME
(No Ctrl-Tab, Ctrl-Esc, Alt-Tab, etc.)
-"Dead floating starfish" bug fixed for good!
-"Stabilize Aquarium to 60 frames per second" mode
-"Keep Starfish Off Glass" mode
-InstallShield Installer
-Now compatible with most Voodoo cards on Windows XP by turning off texture compression (press Ctrl-T)
-Sound is now stored AD/PCM again like 99K, so the Aquarium is 1 MB including the installer!!
-Automatic keycode detection*
-7 slots set to RANDOM on first install**
-Screen Saver panel awareness in Display Properties much improved

*If you install version 1.1 and then get the keycode in an e-mail and use the Copy command when you run the Aquarium, it will automatically be pasted and accepted.

**You'd be amazed to know how many people paid the $20 and are completely unaware that there are more than the 7 fish the Aquarium comes with!

Jim Sachs · 02-18-2002, 08:48 PM

Morgan just about said it all. The only thing I might add is that the background color does not really consist of a series of choices, but a variable brightness adjustment as before. The only difference is that the color is now much bluer at low levels than than it was before. People seem to like the new color.

Oh, and I've fixed a couple of minor graphics problems that only showed up on some video cards. There was a white dot on the lower part of the Flame Angel, and a couple of transparent pixels under the chin of the Picasso Triggerfish.

feldon34 · 02-18-2002, 11:00 PM

I missed a very important feature.

-Now compatible with most Voodoo cards on Windows XP by turning off texture compression (press Ctrl-T)

Jim Sachs · 02-18-2002, 11:30 PM

I was using the drivers provided by the 3Dfx engineers just before they went under. The Aquarium had just pointed out their "white-texture" problem, and they fixed the VooDoo drivers and sent me a 5500 card. I only used it a couple of times, and never with OpenGL.

feldon34 · 02-18-2002, 11:42 PM

Looks like Ctrl-T is going to fix the problem so people can keep their drivers that let them play OpenGL games AND run the Aquarium without white textures.

Wonder why those drivers aren't working properly with compressed textures. Oh well. Voodoo 3 and 5 have enough RAM to run the Aquarium with uncompressed textures.

Shinsa · 02-19-2002, 12:32 AM

Just tried turning off compressed textures. Still works. Slows down about 20% of the current frame rate though. Not a big trade off to make it work.

But I can't really test it until I install XP...

...still waiting for it to get out of beta testing...

Kitey · 02-19-2002, 03:27 AM

Thanks for being cool. I bought the screensaver yesterday, thanks for the tip.
Yep I'm really in England! A bit cold here at the moment but I am going on holiday to barbados on the 27th feb until march 17th and if there are any fans of the fish screensaver maybe we can meet up for a few beers (any excuse) Ha Ha
How cool would that be!!! If you ever need tickets for wimbledon tennis call me!

Shinsa · 02-19-2002, 11:16 AM

Barbados? Sorry, I'm stuck in Phoenix for sometime still to come. But if you ever happen this way...

BTW: I lived in England for four years. Loved it! Didn't get around too much though, military assignment. Did go on a London tour, fascinating. Lived in Thetford most of that time too.

I'd like to go back for an extended visit someday. Now that I'm retired from the Air Force I can do that (althogh it might still be a few years away

)

xdawgg · 02-19-2002, 12:01 PM

I think this will be off topic a little...I have a 8mb nvidia vanta graphics card..........i downloaded the directx8 to play some pc games......will the new version work better with my hardware and software i have now?......cause i heard the screensaver did not run good with directx8 but mine is working fine.....Im really dumb when it comes to cards and things...........is "voodoo" better then mine?

feldon34 · 02-19-2002, 12:59 PM

That's definately the "value" nVidia card, but it still runs the Aquarium fine.

Version 1.1 will run about the same that your current 99L runs.

navydiver · 02-19-2002, 02:43 PM

I know you guys have heard this hundreds of times (perhaps thousands) but I'm absolutely impressed with the detail that has gone into your program. I spent 21 years as a Deep-Sea Diver in the Navy and feel right at home watching your screen saver.

Quite an impressive job of setting up the forum and threads also. Quick question for you...I noticed all the pics submitted for the "I want this fish" list and some have green checks while others have red "x's" next to them and some have nothing at all.

I'm sure I should have read this somewhere in the midst of things but do the green checks mean that Jim is going to render them and red checks mean a thumbs down?

I look forward to seeing 1.1 along with your many other fans.

MMC(SW/DV) retired , Steve Stokes

feldon34 · 02-19-2002, 02:48 PM

navy,

I've just updated the Wishlist page to explain the X and checkmark.

At the risk of starting a messy argument, most of the fish Jim has put an X on is because of how they look at 640x480. I wonder if a mail-in campaign or petition is in order.

Seriously, I doubt he will budge on any of these fish.

02-17-2002, 10:32 AM	#121
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	Santa doesn't get obscenity-laced hate mail from the kids (except maybe from South Park). Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-17-2002, 10:34 AM	#122
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Jim, we're bored. Can you forward some of the better e-mails to me and I'll put em up, stripping the names out of course. I'll put a big warning about obscenity and hiding your kid's eyes and stuff. The SereneScreen Hall of Shame People who don't know what "soon" means. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

02-17-2002, 02:21 PM	#123
FishyBusiness Registered Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,206	Feldon, Wouldn't that just fan the flames. I mean people(for the most part) would try to out do each others email whne they read the hate mail. Of course, there will be the people that say nice things to Jim to combat all of the hate mail but, unfortunately in this society, I think they would be the minority. People are funny. I think having the annonymous nature of the internet shows what people are REALLY like. I think it shows that a lot of people have evil in their hearts and the only reason why they are good is because of fear of reprocussions. It seems that most people ARE NOT voluntarily good. Frank

02-17-2002, 10:21 PM	#124
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	I believe that the majority of people are basically good, but when the numbers get this big, the 1% fringe can seem overwhelming. If only 1 person in 1000 is a homicidal maniac, then there are 50 homicidal maniacs running around in a packed footbal stadium (or emailing ME!). Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-18-2002, 05:53 AM	#125
Kitey Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wimbledon, London Posts: 2	Hello everyone Hello, just thought I'd say what a wonderful site this is and thanks for the welcome! I'm just about to pay my 20 dollars for the full version as I've had the trial for the weekend and thought it was top drawer stuff. Well done for all your hard work. You have a quality product here Take it easy Kitey

02-18-2002, 01:11 PM	#126
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Make sure you get it BEFORE Wednesday. The price goes up to $22 on Wednesday. Either way you get the Lionfish, it's just $2 cheaper today and tomorrow. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

02-18-2002, 07:23 PM	#127
Shinsa Registered Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 407	Kitey, Welcome to the forum. I hope you don't judge us all by the few that have "issues". Most of the people here are very friendly, and will most gleefully help you with any problems you have with the Screen saver (or heck, any question at all for that matter! ) BTW: Are you really in England? Cheers! Bob "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." _______________________________________________

02-18-2002, 07:59 PM	#128
Mac Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6	v1.1 new features Dear Mr Sachs may i trouble you to just breifly summaries the new features in v1.1 and perhaps a sneak preview list of features in your next version. thanks a million your lifetime fan and supporter 8) mac from singapore. ps. i figured us forum folks would be on the privilege list and always be first to get the latest version/revision. ... just teasing!! ... n hoping!!

02-18-2002, 08:22 PM	#129
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	-Red Volitan Lionfish -New fish avoidance where bigger fish scare smaller fish sometimes -Choice of Black, Dark Blue, Blue, and Green background fade -Better password protection under Windows 95, 98, and ME (No Ctrl-Tab, Ctrl-Esc, Alt-Tab, etc.) -"Dead floating starfish" bug fixed for good! -"Stabilize Aquarium to 60 frames per second" mode -"Keep Starfish Off Glass" mode -InstallShield Installer -Now compatible with most Voodoo cards on Windows XP by turning off texture compression (press Ctrl-T) -Sound is now stored AD/PCM again like 99K, so the Aquarium is 1 MB *including the installer!! -Automatic keycode detection -7 slots set to RANDOM on first install** -Screen Saver panel awareness in Display Properties much improved If you install version 1.1 and then get the keycode in an e-mail and use the Copy command when you run the Aquarium, it will automatically be pasted and accepted. You'd be amazed to know how many people paid the $20 and are completely unaware that there are more than the 7 fish the Aquarium comes with! "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 02-18-2002 at 11:28 PM.*

02-18-2002, 08:48 PM	#130
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	Morgan just about said it all. The only thing I might add is that the background color does not really consist of a series of choices, but a variable brightness adjustment as before. The only difference is that the color is now much bluer at low levels than than it was before. People seem to like the new color. Oh, and I've fixed a couple of minor graphics problems that only showed up on some video cards. There was a white dot on the lower part of the Flame Angel, and a couple of transparent pixels under the chin of the Picasso Triggerfish. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by Jim Sachs; 02-18-2002 at 08:51 PM.

02-18-2002, 11:00 PM	#131
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	I missed a very important feature. -Now compatible with most Voodoo cards on Windows XP by turning off texture compression (press Ctrl-T) "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 02-18-2002 at 11:27 PM.

02-18-2002, 11:30 PM	#132
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,771	I was using the drivers provided by the 3Dfx engineers just before they went under. The Aquarium had just pointed out their "white-texture" problem, and they fixed the VooDoo drivers and sent me a 5500 card. I only used it a couple of times, and never with OpenGL. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-18-2002, 11:42 PM	#133
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Looks like Ctrl-T is going to fix the problem so people can keep their drivers that let them play OpenGL games AND run the Aquarium without white textures. Wonder why those drivers aren't working properly with compressed textures. Oh well. Voodoo 3 and 5 have enough RAM to run the Aquarium with uncompressed textures. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

02-19-2002, 12:32 AM	#134
Shinsa Registered Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 407	Just tried turning off compressed textures. Still works. Slows down about 20% of the current frame rate though. Not a big trade off to make it work. But I can't really test it until I install XP... ...still waiting for it to get out of beta testing... Bob "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." _______________________________________________

02-19-2002, 03:27 AM	#135
Kitey Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wimbledon, London Posts: 2	Cheers Thanks for being cool. I bought the screensaver yesterday, thanks for the tip. Yep I'm really in England! A bit cold here at the moment but I am going on holiday to barbados on the 27th feb until march 17th and if there are any fans of the fish screensaver maybe we can meet up for a few beers (any excuse) Ha Ha How cool would that be!!! If you ever need tickets for wimbledon tennis call me!

02-19-2002, 11:16 AM	#136
Shinsa Registered Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Fayetteville, NC Posts: 407	Barbados? Sorry, I'm stuck in Phoenix for sometime still to come. But if you ever happen this way... BTW: I lived in England for four years. Loved it! Didn't get around too much though, military assignment. Did go on a London tour, fascinating. Lived in Thetford most of that time too. I'd like to go back for an extended visit someday. Now that I'm retired from the Air Force I can do that (althogh it might still be a few years away ) Bob "When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." _______________________________________________

02-19-2002, 12:01 PM	#137
xdawgg Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 16	OT...but really confused I think this will be off topic a little...I have a 8mb nvidia vanta graphics card..........i downloaded the directx8 to play some pc games......will the new version work better with my hardware and software i have now?......cause i heard the screensaver did not run good with directx8 but mine is working fine.....Im really dumb when it comes to cards and things...........is "voodoo" better then mine?

02-19-2002, 12:59 PM	#138
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	That's definately the "value" nVidia card, but it still runs the Aquarium fine. Version 1.1 will run about the same that your current 99L runs. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

02-19-2002, 02:43 PM	#139
navydiver Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Panama City, FL. Posts: 4	Awsome job I know you guys have heard this hundreds of times (perhaps thousands) but I'm absolutely impressed with the detail that has gone into your program. I spent 21 years as a Deep-Sea Diver in the Navy and feel right at home watching your screen saver. Quite an impressive job of setting up the forum and threads also. Quick question for you...I noticed all the pics submitted for the "I want this fish" list and some have green checks while others have red "x's" next to them and some have nothing at all. I'm sure I should have read this somewhere in the midst of things but do the green checks mean that Jim is going to render them and red checks mean a thumbs down? I look forward to seeing 1.1 along with your many other fans. MMC(SW/DV) retired , Steve Stokes

02-19-2002, 02:48 PM	#140
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	navy, I've just updated the Wishlist page to explain the X and checkmark. At the risk of starting a messy argument, most of the fish Jim has put an X on is because of how they look at 640x480. I wonder if a mail-in campaign or petition is in order. Seriously, I doubt he will budge on any of these fish. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman Last edited by feldon34; 02-19-2002 at 02:54 PM.