Run Linux as a Windows Screensaver

zornorph writes "A software engineer at IBM has come up with a way to 'construct and package a Linux® LiveCD so that it will install using the standard Microsoft® Windows® install process and will operate as a standard Windows screensaver.'"

Awesome

[c0dedude]

This is cool, as long as you don't need to use your keyboard or mouse.

I wanna be the first to say it

[suso]

I run Windows as a Linux screen saver all the time. Or at least the major parts. ;-)

And with the new modularized X, if it crashes it won't bring down the fonts.

Eh?

[sH4RD]

Why the hell would anyone want to run Linux as a screen saver? To admire X11R7 (jesus! X devs actually do something!)

So...

[FusionDragon2099]

To boot Knoppix, I'm going to have to wait 5 minutes?

funny feeling..

[kerpal2005]

Why do I get a feeling Microsoft's spyware program will detect this as malware?

What a pain®

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Am I the only one® to find non-legal documents® polluted by legalese bullshit® extremely annoying®?

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[MoxCamel]

If you have to ask why...you really don't belong here. :)

Mox

So what happens when...

[CaroKann]

You run Windows and the screen saver kicks in...
And it runs Linux with Wine, and the screen saver kicks in...
And it runs Linux with Wine, and the screen saver kicks in...
Ad Infinitum...

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

The article doesn't make it clear why it should run as a screensaver... is the ISO interactive? How does one escape the screensaver? Why not just run it stand-alone?

No no no, you don't understand, while it runs as a screensaver, it's building Gentoo. Only after it's done can you run it standalone...

i bet MS is happy

[amazon10x]

Finally. A reason for the screensaver function in Windows.

What happens when you try to get out?

[colinbrash]

When you try to get out of the screen saver, does it give you a black screen with "LI" up in the left corner?

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[Stan Vassilev]

"The article doesn't make it clear why it should run as a screensaver... is the ISO interactive? How does one escape the screensaver? Why not just run it stand-alone?"

It's made for educational purpose, once it starts it captures the mouse and keyboard so that you can't exit to Windows, and you're forced to use Linux until you nail it.

A caveat was quickly discovered however: if you stop so the Linux screensaver turns on, you're back to Windows. Go figure.

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[aichpvee]

Why? So when someone says, "nice screen saver, but does it run Linux?", he'll be able to say yes.

finally!

[theodicey]

Now i can get my Windows friends to run Linux by emailing them!

Subject: Hi!

Body: How are you ?
When I saw this screen saver, I immediately thought about you
I am in a harry, I promise you will love it!

Attachment: Linux.SCR

I'd rather run winows...

[theheff]

as a linux game. It's pretty fun... if you don't get a virus in 14 minutes you win!

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[rjstanford]

They should at least recommend a specific product, else the remaining OS/2 userbase will entirely fragment.

What, both of them?

Infected With Linux??

[protolith]

Good Lord this machine has been infected with Linux... Doh, Wait!!! I Think I want That.

Re:woah!

[IdleTime]

That is awesome. What would you use it for?

Screensaver?

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Re:oh

[Anonymous Coward]

Bill? Is that you?

Re:I'd rather run winows...

[Bradee-oh!]

It's pretty fun... if you don't get a virus in 14 minutes you win!
 
Uggh... I can't stand another game with an unreasonably high difficulty level =/

With roles reversed...

[Sathias]

Does this mean I can run 3D Pipes as an OS?

Re:what do you call this distro?

[Gryle]

"the [thing} you can see but you can't touch?"

Girls?

Re:finally!

[Anonymous Coward]

LOL! I am Linux screen saver, not a virus.

Re:I'd rather run winows...

[ShaLouZa]

I almost made it once. But I screwed up : I connected my box to the net at the 12th minute. Silly me.

Into the looking glass...

[suitepotato]

Now you can let the screensave run and go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS and then the screensaver on that runs and you go into another OS... ARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!

this just goes to show...

[Petronius]

how robust Windows is.

In other news

[SmallFurryCreature]

Steve Ballmer hurdled a chair through his office shouting, "Fucking Samuel J. Palmisano is a fucking pussy. I'm going to fucking bury that guy, I have done it before, and I will do it again. I'm going to fucking kill IBM."

To wich Bill Gates replied, "and this time we fucking make sure IBM stays dead."

Oh god, the world is upside down. IBM the new and happening company, MS and Intel as "the man". Apple is still a bunch of new age hippies right?

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[YrWrstNtmr]

Only after it's done can you run it standalone...

What, I have to wait until next week?

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[kstillson]

do. or do not. there is no "why"

Now, to reverse it...

[winphreak]

I'll have linux use the BSOD screen saver. Mocks windows perfectly.

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[TubeSteak]

Because it sounds like he may be a little new here:

"but does it run linux" was the question asked of the first new Windows release since Linus coded Linux.

Finally, we have an answer.

Re:The Point?

[martin-boundary]

Think! The _point_ is that if Linux is running instead of a screensaver, then you can finally run XScreenSaver [jwz.org] on Linux on Windows!

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[egburr]

How does one escape the screensaver?

I haven't read the article; this is just my preference...

Figure out the root password.
Figure out how to login.
Issue a shutdown command.

After completing the shutdown, you'll get your windows desktop back.

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[c_forq]

What, I have to wait until next week?

I know this is slashdot, but you don't have to rub in how much faster your state-of-the-art processor is then mine. I'll have to wait until next YEAR!

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[numbski]

Not to pick nits...

okay, yes to pick nits.

So next week?

Re:Already exists!

[Vo0k]

There are some more things considered when it comes to accepting an article than just "the news being important". Like the style of writing, grammar, correctness, the submitter not being a troll and not sounding like an arrogant bastard. If the article was written in similar tone as this post, no wonder it was rejected. Be more humble.

Re:Why not stand-alone?

[Trejkaz]

I think the phrasing in this scenario is usually "I happen to know both of them."

Re:This caught my attention

[vmcto]

I would think the Sun would be particularly strong on an island...

I want my ten minutes back

[emm-tee]

Please can I have back the ten minutes I just wasted trying to work out what the hell this article is about.