Flying Toasters – A look back at After Dark for Windows 1.0
Image 1 of 27
Aquatic Realm
Aquatic Realm
nt
n
ntIn Aquatic Realm, your screen becomes an underwater porthole as fish and other sea creatures swim back and forth across the seabed.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Can of Worms
Can of Worms
nt
n
ntIn Can of Worms, worms squirm and twist all over the screen while munching away at the desktop.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Clocks
Clocks
nt
n
ntIn Clocks, different types of clocks float across the screen displaying the time. This composite image shows all three of the main clocks.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Fade Away
Fade Away
nt
n
ntIn Fade Away, your desktop just fades away.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Flying Toasters
Flying Toasters
nt
n
ntIn Flying Toasters, the screen goes black and then the now infamous flying toasters glide across the screen interspersed with pieces of toast. You even get to choose how you like your toast.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
GeoBounce
GeoBounce
nt
n
ntIn GeoBounce, a geometric shape of your choice spins and bounces across the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
GraphStat
GraphStat
nt
n
ntIn GraphStat, random scientific looking graphs appear on the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Hard Rain
Hard Rain
nt
n
ntIn Hard Rain, rain drops hit the screen and create colorful circular splats all over the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Lasers
Lasers
nt
n
ntIn Lasers, you get a front row seat as a laser light show creates bright patterns on the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Magic
Magic
nt
n
ntIn Magic, constantly shifting patterns appear on the screen and dazzle you with their intricacy.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Mondrian
Mondrian
nt
n
ntIn Mondrian, the screen turns into a piece of Mondrian style art.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Mountains
Mountains
nt
n
ntIn Mountains, 3-D mountains from a planet of your choosing appear on the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Nocturnes
Nocturnes
nt
n
ntIn Nocturnes, the screen goes black and then the eyes of various nocturnal creatures appear on the screen and watch you.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Punch Out
Punch Out
nt
n
ntIn Punch Out, the desktop is attacked by a hole puncher—the annoying clicking sound is optional.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Rain Storm
Rain Storm
nt
n
ntIn Rain Storm, a storm appears on the screen complete with wind and lightning.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Satori
Satori
nt
n
ntIn Satori, colorful tie-dye-like patterns slowly emerge and swirl on the desktop.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Shapes
Shapes
nt
n
ntIn Shapes, solid color geometric shapes simply fill the screen. Kind of boring now, but hey this was from 1991.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Slide show
Slide show
nt
n
ntIn Slide Show, you see a simple slide show of images of your choice. Here, you see some dinosaurs… get it?
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Spheres
Spheres
nt
n
ntIn Spheres, a host of colorful spheres are rendered on the screen creating the illusion of dimensionality. Back then, this one was one of my favorites.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Spiral Gyro
Spiral Gyro
nt
n
ntIn Spiral Gyro, interesting patterns are drawn on the screen just like those created with the old Spyrograph toy.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Stained Glass
Stained Glass
nt
n
ntIn Stained Glass, random patterns appear on the screen. They actually look more like quilts or a kaleidoscope than stained glass, but very neat, nonetheless.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Starry Night
Starry Night
nt
n
ntIn Starry Night, a city skyline appears under a star filled sky with occasional flashes of lightning. The lights in the buildings go on and off and red beacon lights flash at the tops of some of the tallest buildings.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
String Theory
String Theory
nt
n
ntIn String Theory, complex Moireu00ad-like patterns swirl across the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Vertigo
Vertigo
nt
n
ntIn Vertigo, colorful spirals and squares gradually grow on the screen and provide the dizzying optical illusion of depth as they move.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Warp
Warp
nt
n
ntIn Warp, you see a Star Trek effect, where colorful stars suddenly swirl past as the warp drive engages.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Wrap Around
Wrap Around
nt
n
ntIn Wrap Around, you see another set of Moire patterns swirl across the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
Zot
Zot
nt
n
ntIn Zot, bolts of lightning appear on the screen.
n
ntImage created by Greg Shultz for TechRepublic.
