This Desktop Experience aims to replicate the nostalgic experience of using a classic Windows XP desktop. This tool immerses users in a recreation of the beloved operating system, complete with "Microsoft Paint" (JS Paint by 1j01), a psuedo Internet Explorer that serves as a random website generator, a live messaging system to chat with other visitors currently using The Desktop (Live Chat by Chatango), and a taskbar reminiscent of the early 2000s. This passion project transports users back in time, evoking a sense of nostalgia while providing unique entertainment away from the noise of social media. Indulge in a trip down memory lane with my attempt at a Windows XP-inspired Desktop and Random Website Generator and relive the charm of the past through a modern lens.
This project is intended to be a way to re-discover the idea of "surfing the web" and as such is meant for you to take your time and explore at your leisure. There are no set ways to interact with this project, so long as you're enjoying yourself :)
With this being my first official project I am completely open to any changes and fixes. Over time I hope to be able to include a diverse list of websites and projects from the community. Here are some immediate changes I'm looking for help on:
Optimizing any JS code to make it more efficient and memory friendly.
Cleaning and condensing the CSS and Selectors (I wrote everything in a very as needed fashion, overtime I intend to try and remove any unnecessary css, class names, ids, etc.)
The random website database is pulled from Random-Ize. Overtime I hope to swap out each of these websites with more up-to-date sites and more indie developers, artist, and creators. If you find a deadlink from randomsites.js or while using the web browser feel free to submit a request. A REQUESTED LINK REMOVAL MUST BE REPLACED WITH A WORKING LINK. THIS CAN ALSO BE YOUR WEBSITE! :)
Most of the issues I seem to run into have been on mobile. For desktop everthing works as intended for the most part. Here are some common issues on mobile:
Resizing any application is shotty if not completely non-existent.
Drawing in MS Paint worked fine initially but now doesn't track user touch movement at all. I'm not sure if this is an implementation issue on my end or a bug on the applications side.
Closing apps on touch feels unresponsive. Button will show it's being pressed but won't close unless pressed slightly above the button. I suspect I can fix this with a media query for the buttons maybe? but not entirely sure.
Live Messsaging doesn't show up on mobile. In testing with Chrome Dev Tools it shows up just fine but when trying it on my actual phone nothing happens. Once again I'm not sure if this is an implementation issue on my end or a bug on the applications side.
JS PAINT by 1j01
Chatango Live Chat Messaging Service
Random-Ize Random Website Database
Icon Archive For all icons used in this project
This is my very first major project in my coding journey away from tutorials and online classes so any feedback is greatly appreciated. I am always looking for opportunies and collaborations with other developers or artist at any level so please reach out and lets work on some stuff!