The Logic Off Topic list

Check out the latest version of MilkDrop which you can download from
www.winamp.com in the plugins section. I know it works with Windows
computers, though I think since this requires DirectX to run (I *think*), so
it won't work on Macs.

MilkDrop itself looks fabulous - after several days of being hypnotized into
staring at it for hours on end, it still comes up with new presets I haven't
seen before, and 98% of them look amazing. Among many great special effects
it especially does liquid looking things really well.

Anyway, the groundbreaking thing about MilkDrop is that you can configure it
to work in 'Desktop mode'. Instead of taking up the entire screen or being
in just a small window, the awesome graphics of MilkDrop become your desktop
background. On my computer the FPS dropped from about 30-40 in full screen
mode to about 10 fps in Desktop mode, but it still looks awesome. For me at
least its really enjoyable seeing the regular old computer looking so
tripped out, with the Start button and all the desktop icons just sitting
there on top of it. A little M icon appears in your system tray and you can
click on it to make MilkDrop receive key commands to change settings etc.
Just stop the plugin or close Winamp to make it stop. 

It's hard to describe how cool it looks... For days now when I'm not even
listening to music I still have been leaving Winamp open with the volume
turned all the way down just so MilkDrop will keep changing the desktop
background. :-) 

It works on Windows2000 at home. I tried to install it here on my work
computer that doesn't even have a sound card just so I could use it as a
background. Winamp plays fine w/o a sound card but unfortunately I found out
WindowsNT(4) doesn't have DirectX and I can't run any vis. plugins at all in
Winamp.

Anyway I highly recommend this for everyone to go and check out.. Winamp
doesn't just play mp3s, its my free music player of choice for real audio
CDs and my own bounced .wav files etc. Of course this eats up most of your
free CPU cycles so it would not be a good idea to run this at the same time
as Logic.. but while sitting there drinking a cup of coffee thinking of what
to compose next I doubt it would reduce one's inspiration at all. :-) 

Jeremy