Program Updated, please see here.
You are here
WinPenguins Portable [See Node 11137 For Latest Release]
This rules! I can't even be stuffed to look at the launcher source, it's too cool
This is sooo fun!
When i launched it i just stared at it for minutes!
LOL this is amazing. As far as I can tell, there aren't any bugs in the launcher. This is awesome.
This program is awesome!
I just have 2 problems
The first problem is that on the school computers (they run XP, but they are very locked down) the penguins only show up inside the icons to applications, and mess up the display of said icons.
Secondly, 32 is a low cap for the number of penguins to have. By editing the WinPenguins.reg file in the data folder, I have had it doing 500 penguins, but every time I go into the options menu and do anything, I am once again reduced to 32. How hard would it be to raise the penguin's population cap?
Unfortunately, I didn't write the base app, I only made it portable. The development seems to have stopped about 6/7 years ago unfortunately. If I can compile it successfully, I will look into changing the max number of penguins as it doesn't seem like it would be too hard. As for the problem with the penguins only walking in areas of icons, I had them problem too, and it was because I wasn't using a bmp for my desktop background, I was using a png. So maybe if you can change the wallpaper, use a bmp. By the wall, if you manage to run WinPenguins, you aren't locked down at all.
Oh but be careful, because at my school, apparently changing the background is 'hacking' the computer.
...the amount of penguins you can get, right mouse click on the Penguin icon(on your task bar), and press options. Don't know if this option stays, but that did the trick.
but he was talking about increasing the number past how many the options tools allow.
1) with WinPenguins closed, open the .reg file that contains the options (PortableApps\WinPenguinsPortable\Data\settings)
2) change the 'PenguinCount' dword to be the Hex value of the penguins you want (leave the leading zeros)
3) run WinPenguins
Notes: I've had 4000 penguins going at once with a CPU load of 45% (I think there might be a max allowed out side of this setting))
Also, if you ever modify WinPenguins using the GUI options box, it will over write your Invasion Force settings.
How do I send an army of cute little penguins to invade the screen of someone else on your network?
But it sounds fun!
or is there a trick to get them walk?
Make sure none of your windows are open fullscreen.
thank you
I so need to know how to send them to other computers on a network.
(this is one way to have fun at the school library)
I Agree, I need to know how to send them to other computers!
Go to sleep and dream about having penguins invade other network computers because that's the only way it'll happen.
That was a hypothetical question.
You just hurt the feelings of a little kid taking away his precious candy...
Just send your friends the application, without telling them what it does. I don't doubt they will be surprised!
Secretly plug in your flash drive into that computer (make sure it's hidden), close the menu, and run WinPenguins. Or map a network folder they can run from on load. but of course the pcs would be too locked down for the second option.
Now, how do I stop watching them?.
I've got you hooked, mhau ha ha.
Sidenote:
75 Downloads,
What like... 5 comments.
Nice.
I like it, very addicting.
Tried it at work last night (it was a very slow night thanks to Canadian Thanksgiving today), but my work must have active desktop enabled or something because they seem to be behind my "desktop". Oh well.
And go Canadian Thanksgiving!
I had some good turkey.
So stupid, and yet so amazing!
Thanks Patrick!
Hmmm. I wonder if I can run this via a logon script on our network. *shifty eyes*
But this is too entertaining! Thanks for sharing this!
This program is just ... evil.
Wow, this is really fun! My roomate will love playing with this, he's a penguin fanatic.
I'm not a major fan of pointless utilities like this... but it is pretty cool "Toy Program".
With that said, the only note I have is that you may need to remove "Web content" (like JPG's for wallpaper) to get full effect... or at least on Pre-XP systems.
Other than that, it works just fine.
I had a png for wallpaper and it didn't go over well for the little penguins.
"Web content" uses Internet Explorer to render it... back in the day I found it slow and annoying (I tried to make a cool JavaScript powered desktop with lots of shortcuts and a quick-search bar. It was pretty cool actually).
The different window it uses might be working like a full screen window, or maybe the penguins hate Microsoft IE.
however, I hardly ever have a window that is not opened full screen, so I'm not able to see the penguins.
150 Downloads.
No joke. I think this shows a little something about all of us... We can't resist adorable little penguins walking on our windows and desktop.
Hey John, do you think this could be released here? It's clearly a great alternative to using all your applications for productive work and such.
Hey Patrick *laughing* I wanna put this *laughing* in my suites! *LAUGHING*
This app is just sooooo much fun.
Hmmm, maybe I should put this in the standard edition (the Suite that only has apps that has a universal target, like the Papps Suites).
Also can I do the same with SpeedCrunch Portable?
263 Downloads. Good job people. Sad?
Are those unique downloads, or are you counting when someone with a download manager creates 10 download "threads" to get the file faster. You could have 20 "downloads", yet only 2 people get the file.
There's only a variation of about 10 between the hits and visits. But it's taken 62,943 KB of BandWidth, and the file's 229 KB large.
Here,
Rank IP Address Bandwidth (KB) Total Bandwidth(KB) 1 122.168.68.172 1,668 60,151 2 72.14.193.161 1,146 67,788 3 64.75.72.4 917 917 4 83.50.186.1 917 26,754 5 65.30.108.245 688 738 6 192.232.30.80 688 4,663 7 172.213.253.64 686 686 8 207.108.147.82 587 599 9 69.19.14.26 471 913 10 67.46.0.13 459 459 Other Items (220) 57,256 165,480 Total(s) 65,482 329,146 Average(s) 285 1,431
Someone's a hog.
But fun! (lol, suicidial pinguins)
When I first downloaded and tested this, It worked fine. And I also thought it was one of the coolest things I have seen. I was going to show it off to my friends, and I loaded it up on a computer running active desktop. The penguins did not show infront of it. The only places where the penguins appeared whas in the description boxes of shortcuts on the desktop.
It's a known bug, and it won't be fixed unless someone takes over the project to fix it because the last release was on like 2001 unfortunately.
Edit: Tell me if the bug it fixed in this fork, if it is, I will post it instead as you can use custom blowing up sounds as well. Edit: I tried it, it appears not to work.
After I downloaded it a week ago I was the only one in my High School to have it, now a week later there are:
at least 2 teachers who have and use it
at least 20 students (that I know of) who have it and use it
and then more then 20 students who have the non-portable version of it installed at home.
once again,
Great Job! It's a great and pointless app!
That's amazing. The amount of downloads per week is insanely high for such a pointless app.
... specially how they blow up upon quitting the proggie.
Many thanks for that!
Chris
This is very nice, but can't you add a little "always on top" option? Because when I'm working, I can't see them.
~IntEr
He didn't write the program, he simply made it portable. It seems though, that the developer of the program hasnt made an update in quite some time.
As for adding that option, the penguins would then clutter your windows. They can currently only walk on the title bars of windows, changing this would enable them to walk on, fall through, and walk across all of the windows too, which makes it kinda hard to accomplish anything. The penguins can walk across any window that is not maximized, so simply resize the window a little bit and you will see the penguins.
I tried XPenguins on Linux to see what it would look like... unfortunately it doesn't seem to work right with compiz.
Looks fun though from what I could see, and that one screenshot.
Bummer. Be fun to see them with beryl and compiz.
I use Compiz Fusion and xpenguins work perfectly with CF, they even work while using the cube effect.
Maybe it's emerald theme manager then, or one of the specific effects I have enabled... who knows.
I'm running Ubuntu 7.10 under KDE (not Kubuntu... I did an apt-get install kde under Ubuntu instead).
I did try WinPenguins when I booted into Windows. It was the best thing ever, and now it's on my thumb drive. And I don't know why since it is entirely useless. ^_^
I never new my desktop could be so funny!!!
This is neat. I am quite sure these new friends of mine will help pass the time when doing my two hours of computer work!
Well...this looks AWESOME!!! it is just too bad I have everything maximized most of the time....
How ridiculous the downloads on this are? :|
...what is the total downloads now? I kinda wonder if Portable WinPenguins will be downloaded more than the original. That would be something.
150-250 a week. So that stats say.
I need a script that would delay the execution of this app for about 10/20 minutes or so, so that I can copy the files to a computer at the library, set the "timer" on, and then leave. This way, No one "saw" me start the penguin app, or would even suspect me.
Does anyone know how to make a simple exe or bat which would launch a given .exe after a given amount of time?
That would really be awesome.
Maybe with an INI parameter to deley the app for however long you want. Evil call.
Awesome!
Just wait a few days till I post a new release.
An NSIS script would be easy. You could also just set a scheduled task in windows 'Scheduled Tasks' control panel.
...those people up above who want to invade their co-worker's desktops. It wouldn't work exactly the way they want it, but sure will do the job.
I'm releasing productive apps and you're all playing with WinPenguins.
I think I found a new hobby.... crushing penguins with a Notepad window!
portable apps icon and then squash them with the menu
either that or kill them with tool-tips
lol
suddenly minimize any window to see them fall, and then maximize again to "recharge" my "victims" in the top of the same window...
I wait till all of mine reach the bottom, and pop the taskbar up on them, sorta like a trap! *evil grin* Sends them back to their USB drive grave!
This never ends... I just discovered that I can have a small window and move it with my mouse and kill every penguin in the way... right, left, top or bottom...
I seriously hope someone will discover this and take over developing as it's such a great program, but the windows re-painting and the active-desktop issues are annoying.
For no explainable reason, I felt compelled to add this to Digg. So, if you want alot of people to hear about this, then go here and Digg it:
http://digg.com/software/Winpenguins_Portable_Bring_a_hoarde_of_penguins...
Hopefully this will increase popularity to have a new developer find it.
I love it. But how do I know that the penguins aren't really going to take over my computer? }:)
Muah ha ha!
That was what I thought when I first saw this post/app.
I love it. Its a cute time waster...
Something to put on oler friends PC and enable full speed to make them stop using it...
Unfortunately it leaves a winmon.dll in my temp folder...
Anyone can confirm this???
"Ever wanted cute little penguins walking along the tops of your windows?
No I want an army as my screensaver!!!
Confirmed
Win XP SP 2 (I think).
I had read this in the readme:
winmon.dll is no longer required, if it cannot be found winpenguins.exe
will extract a copy of winmon.dll from it's resources and use that instead.
Before I released it, I though I removed winmon.dll, I guess I didn't. But considering it's still in there, I don't see why it would be leaving winmon.dll there.
This is in the To-Do's
- If winmon.dll is loaded from resources, it is not deleted due to
an access denied error
So I'll check into that, thanks.
i can do that if you give me the penguin images. XP
shortly after i installed this i started getting unexpected BSODs randomly every 20 minutes or so, i had to do system restore and shred the files. any idea why?
Not at all. :|
Can I get some more system info?
vista home premium 32bit hp pavillion d4890y 2046mb ram intel dual 6420 @ 2.13Ghz 2.13Ghz
I can't say right now, but I think it could be a Vista issue. I'll go find some Vista computers I can crash and get back to you.
Not at all. :|
Can I get some more system info?
I think I will...
Double Post, please delete the other.
I his to post, and It didn't post. So I stopped the page assuming it didn't post since I was still as the textarea, so I hit post again. I can delete a comment, and all I could do is edit it, making it less visible that it's a double post so a moderator could delete.