Customer Reviews

After Dark Deluxe Screen Saver Over 85 Displays

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Anyone remember when computer monitors were heavy CRTs?

Computer screensavers were software programs created for cathode-ray tube monitors to avoid "burn in" of images on the picture tube. By running a program that periodically (and continuously) displays images on the screen when the computer is not actually being used, there is no danger of a single, steady image burning a permanent "ghost" or "shadow" on the inside of the picture tube.

Of course, the vast majority of us are doing our computing with LCD monitors. While I have seen some "burn in" on LCDs (particuarly cheaper ones) there really isn't a big need to run a screensaver program.

Back in the old CRT days, screensavers were very popular. People were into them. In a way I think they were kinda like the first cool "app" for your computer. After Dark was right there from the beginning. And they went on to create a veritable Hall of Fame of screensavers: Flying Toasters, Bad Dog, Rock Paper Scissors, Fish World, Guernsey Madness, Out 'n About and many more.

What set After Dark apart from other screensaver programs was the design work. AD created wonderful concepts and then designed the hell out of them. The artfulness of After Dark has held up to the test of time. Imagine running Flying Toasters as an app on your iPhone or iPad. It would look amazing.

I'm sure for a lot of people there's a nostalgia element as well. I remember sitting for hours with my 5 year old daughter watching Rock Paper Scissors.

It would be absolutely brilliant if someone could create a Windows 7 version of After Dark.

And don't forget a version for iPhone as well.

I once had a screen-saver on my computer that featured a fast-moving brick wall. If you looked closely, you would, every once in a while, see an aligator quickly darting in, out, and around the wall.
When you changed the colour combination, the brick wall disappeared, and you saw a fantastic, phantasmagoria of what looked almost like the doors and walls of a movie theatre, but all in different, combined and shimmering colours, moving very, very fast. It was harder to see the aligator in this mode, but I think I did notice him, (her?) once, by looking very, very closely.....

Those were the days! I don't remember whether I had Windows 95 or 98 on my computer, (I got my first computer in 2001) -- but the subsequent operating systems I put on it...Windows 2000 and Windows XP -- had progressively fewer, (and still fewer!) screen-savers from which to choose. THIS is progress? I'm sure the newer operating systems DO work progressively better and better, (I, for one, have had almost no problems at all with my present Windows Vista -- knock on wood!) -- but on Windows Vista, it appears there are even FEWER
screen saver choices than were had on Windows 2000 and Windows XP!

This item, AFTER DARK DELUXE SCREEN SAVER OVER 85 DISPLAYS, is, I am positive, sure to contain my wonderfully-remembered, "alligator /
brick wall / movie-theatre phantasmagoria" screen-saver that I loved so much to view. Only -- this item is made for "Windows 95" and "Windows 98", (only??????) Will it work with my present "Vista" system, and/or my hoped-for "Windows 7" system, that I hope to get in the future? The description of this item does not say -- and so, I very reluctantly will hold myself back from buying it. I'd buy it in an INSTANT if it would work with EITHER "Windows Vista" OR "Windows 7". I love those screen-savers, (and the "aligator" screen-saver, in particular), THAT much. And I'm sure I'm NOT the only customer who feels this way.....

My suggestions to operating system manufacturers -- PLEASE add MORE screen-savers to your software! And / or update the old screen-savers to fit the new operating systems! And.....especially, add the "aligator" screensaver to any new screen-saver packages you may produce!

Plus...please tell me if the currently available "AFTER DARK DELUXE SCREEN SAVER OVER 85 DISPLAYS" (the item being reviewed here), WILL (or sadly, will not), work with either "Windows Vista", and/ or the newest operating system, "Windows 7". (re: Windows 7 -- what good is being able to translate into 35 languages, if you can't get your favourite screen-saver? THIS is a "trade-off" that should NOT have tobe made!)