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Desktop Earth - The Earth on Your Desktop in Real Time!
Desktop Earth is a wallpaper generator for Windows. It runs whenever you're logged on and updates your wallpaper with an accurate representation of the Earth as it would be seen from space at that precise moment.
Day and night is accurately represented depending on the Sun's overhead position (which depends on both the time of day and the day of the year) and both the snow cover and the foliage changes with the seasons.
Images are created from high-resolution textures (2560x1280) so it's perfect for that QSXGA display.
An image is generated every month to accurately depict snow and foliage changes, and the night view is simply stunning.
If you just want to stick with one view of the earth, there is a huge stash of wallpapers in the install directory that can be used permanently without being connected to the internet or having Desktop Earth installed.
My Desktop view:
(Click for larger view)
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Comments
really awsome
Tested on Windows 7 64-bit and it works just fine.
This is really awesome. Running W7 x64. no problems at all.
it is good for xp sp3
Installed on Win XP SP3.
Works in the admin account in which it was installed.
Does not work in the limited account even though selected the install for everyone option.
Well... Running XP SP3. Installer showed 'installation complete', clickable icon is in the tray but Desktop Earth doesn't come up. Any ideas?
(it amazes me that people) ask the same questions that were answered in the main text over and over. (Just read the article more carefully)
Moderators comment: this post has been edited to tone down the language. No flaming here please.
Installed on Win XP SP3.
Works in the admin account in which I installed it.
Does not work in my limited account even though I selected the option to install for everyone.
Has this been tested on windows 7?
From their FAQ
# Q: This does not seem to work on.
# A: Testing and fixing bugs on a multitude of Windows OSs is just not something I have time to do. XP (both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) are supported, and the software may or may not work on others.
So, unless you run XP (x32 or x64) which are the supported versions, there's no guarantee that this will work on another OS or indeed what it might do to it if you try.
Yes it works on my Win 7 test system. Your mileage may vary but I would say it's definitely worth trying. If you have problems try running it in XP compatibility mode.
can it be used on windows xp?
Yes, it runs very well on XP.
It worked for a few seconds, then I got a little pop-up that said:
"Could not query Active Desktop component options."
So much for that :(
Using Windows 7.
is it only for windows 7 or can it be used for XP?
As a follow up to myself, I clicked the "Regular" display option and it's workg fine! Definitely not clear what that options does overall. But all is well.
Thanks so much! I got the same popup and thanks to your comment it works for me as well :)
I use Vista by the way
6MB download takes 40MB space, so any idea how much RAM usage it uses and is it worth?
Been using this for a couple of years now,great little program
very nice
Very nice looking Changing desktop. Very cool
Do you have to be online to get the rotating view of Earth, or does this work offline as well?
'It runs whenever you're logged on.' so I presume you will have to be online.
um, yeah, considering the nature of the "real time" updates.
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