Dynamic Desktop

gte024h · 02-19-2003, 12:36 AM

I have fiddled around with setting a screensaver as the desktop and such, but on my old beige G3, it's just not a good idea. A more useful thing I think would be to set a terminal or terminals as the desktop.

A common thing (for me) would be to display /var/log/system.log, or /var/log/httpd/error_log using the "tail -F" command.

I keep terminal windows open with these files all the time, but it would be so much more useful to have the text displayed in the background.

Perhaps there is a way to take the text from stdout in a terminal and display it as a screensaver? Then use the "screensaver as desktop" hack? I dunno... I do know that on a busy webserver it might make a fascinating screensaver to have the access or error logs scrolling by.

Just a simple idea for some System hacker or UNIX guru to think about :-)

mervTormel · 02-19-2003, 12:50 AM

well, there is aquamon...

http://nibs.arsware.org/AquaMon/

but nothing can beat going to shell and grokking for yourself, like a real Mon

djn1 · 02-19-2003, 07:16 AM

I use Desktop Console to display the console.log and system.log on my desktop. It works well and doesn't take up many CPU cycles.

A free alternative (Desktop Console is $15) is Geek Tool though I don't like the fact that it doesn't allow you to customise the display font.

One or the other of these should allow you to do what you want.

gte024h · 02-19-2003, 09:17 AM

Desktop Console is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks so much for the excellent suggestion :-)

02-19-2003, 12:36 AM	#1
gte024h Prospect Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2	Dynamic Desktop I have fiddled around with setting a screensaver as the desktop and such, but on my old beige G3, it's just not a good idea. A more useful thing I think would be to set a terminal or terminals as the desktop. A common thing (for me) would be to display /var/log/system.log, or /var/log/httpd/error_log using the "tail -F" command. I keep terminal windows open with these files all the time, but it would be so much more useful to have the text displayed in the background. Perhaps there is a way to take the text from stdout in a terminal and display it as a screensaver? Then use the "screensaver as desktop" hack? I dunno... I do know that on a busy webserver it might make a fascinating screensaver to have the access or error logs scrolling by. Just a simple idea for some System hacker or UNIX guru to think about :-)

02-19-2003, 07:16 AM	#3
djn1 MVP Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: UK Posts: 1,212	Desktop Console I use Desktop Console to display the console.log and system.log on my desktop. It works well and doesn't take up many CPU cycles. A free alternative (Desktop Console is $15) is Geek Tool though I don't like the fact that it doesn't allow you to customise the display font. One or the other of these should allow you to do what you want. __________________ chromasia G4/800, OS 10.3.x, 1.25GB RAM, 2x80GB HD, 60GB firewire, Geforce4MX, Iiyama VMpro 455+413 Goldtouch keyboard, Cirque EasyCat trackpad, D-Link DSL-604+ Last edited by djn1; 02-19-2003 at 07:23 AM.

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02-19-2003, 12:50 AM	#2
mervTormel League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 5,536	well, there is aquamon... http://nibs.arsware.org/AquaMon/ but nothing can beat going to shell and grokking for yourself, like a real Mon

02-19-2003, 09:17 AM	#4
gte024h Prospect Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 2	Desktop Console is exactly what I am looking for. Thanks so much for the excellent suggestion :-)