Every possible precaution has been taken to ensure that WinDim will provide you with safe and consistent operation. However, Paragon Consulting Group and its employees are not responsible for any damage directly or indirectly caused by this program, to any software, hardware, or emotional and mental state belonging to the user.
CD-Ware
This software is CD-WARE [Compact Disk ware]. If you find it at all useful, please send the authors any Musical or Data compact disk which you feel mirrors the worth of WinDim to you. In other words, if you use WinDim, but don't like it much, and you have a "Cure" musical CD which you do not like, send it to us. However, if you use WinDim and love it, and your favorite musical CD is Perry Como's greatest hits, why send us a copy. We are CD addicts, and are constantly looking for new and unusual music (and data for that matter). If you decide to participate in CD-WARE, please send them to:
Paragon Consulting Group
4212 West Cactus Rd. STE 1110-229
Phoenix, AZ 85029
About WinDim
WinDim is a screen saver for Windows 3.1. You must have at least a VGA monitor (no EGA's) to use WinDim. This is because WinDim uses a special set of registers, found only in VGA (and most SVGA) boards, to control the intensity of each color in the palette.
The inspiration for WinDim is the screen saver for the NeXT computer. On the NeXT, when the specified period of inactivity has expired, the screen slowly fades in intensity, as if someone had slowly turned down the brightness of the monitor. It would stop at a user specified level, allowing you to see that the screen was still on, but dimming it enough to greatly reduce the risk of phosphor burn-in.
Using this as the inspiration, we set out to do the same thing for a Windows screen saver, and we did. Using the VGA's DAC registers, we are able to reduce the intensity of each palette entry without changing its relative color.
Installation
Installation is really quite simple. Copy the included WINDIM.SCR and WINDIMHK.DLL into your root Windows directory, or wherever you have the control panel installed (which is usually the root Windows Directory). Also, copy BWCC.DLL into your Windows SYSTEM directory. This being done, you need to run the control panel and enter the "Desktop" section. With the desktop setup dialog displayed, there is a section for Screen savers. You will find WinDim listed as "WinDim" [oddly enough], and can select it. Once selected, you may either hit the "TEST" or "SETUP" button. The "TEST" button will activate WinDim with the currently selected configuration.
Selecting "SETUP" will open WinDim's configuration box. From here you may select how dim (from 2 times dimmer to 8 times dimmer, or even completely blank) you want WinDim to make the screen when it is activated. After making your selection, you may hit "OK" to save it, or "CANCEL" to forget it. The current setting is saved in your CONROL.INI file and is automatically read each time WinDim is started up.
Operation
WinDim operates as does any Windows 3.1 screen saver, automatically. After the specified period of inactivity has expired, WinDim dims the screen to the chosen level. At this point, it waits for any key or mouse button to be pressed, or for the mouse to move, at which point it restores the screen and waits to be started (by Windows) again.
Problems
While we have not tested WinDim on many video cards, we have found that it does not work on an 8514/a card. We are attempting to find a way to correct this problem, and will release a new version when and if we do find the solution.
If you find that WinDim does not work on your video card, please send us the name and model of your card, as well as the manufacturer. You can drop a line to the address listed above, or call our BBS at:
Paragon BBS
(602) 938-8288
FIDOnet 1:114/145
and leave the sysop a message detailing the card.
That's it!
Well, we hope you enjoy using WinDim, and if you have any suggestions or questions please contact us through any of the above mentioned avenues. Thanks!
