!XmasLight  v1.03 {32 bit}
~~~~~~~~~~

Christmas lights for your desktop.



Okay... I like Christmas lights. And, well, it wasn't considered particularly
safe to let me near candles (even electronic ones!) so they (they who?) gave
me a string of battery powered blinking lights.
I immediately crashed three telecommunications satellites and almost caused
a theatrewide nuclear disaster.
So they (who the <beep> are they?) decided it would be much safer to give me
a computer and let me create virtual lights.
Stupid sods. The computer included a modem. And there is a phone line in my
room. Who's up for a game of Sim-StockExchange? :-)


Ahem, right. Um... This is basically a string of christmas lights hanging
neatly from your desktop. No sticky tape or nails required.

You have several options:

  * You can have two fuse bulbs at the beginning of the chain... Or not.
    Due to BS/ISO requirements, I cannot be held responsible for the
    consequences of not using fuse bulbs.

  * You can have the lights:
      a. All on.
      b. Alternatively blinking.
      c. Blinking all on, then all off.

  * You can control the speed of the lights.


All of these options are available in the !Run file. The "Edit '!Run'" menu
option will load !Run into !Edit so you can modify it; but note that this
working presupposes you have Edit running. It may or may not work with
other editors. If it doesn't, open the !Run file inside !XmasLight and
then you can tweak stuff...



Easter eggs... Well, they're officially called "Christmas presents" in this
program and, well, there are some. What d'you expect for something written
by yours truly!?



This program is dedicated to all on argonet.*, especially the regulars of ZFC.
I'm not going to mention any names because my memory sucks but you know who
you are...

...ooooh, doesn't that sound ominous?




Richard Murray
Originally  : 22nd December 1997.
Made working: 24th December 1997.
32 bittified: 17th October  2013.
                            ----
                             =16 EEEK!


PS : I've attempted to use the Xeig and Yeig stuff to make it look proper-like
     on all screenmodes. If it fails, the official response is "Oh balls".
     You can quote me on that too. :-)

PPS: The sprites are 16 colour with optimied palettes. This whilst they will
     work correctly in a 16 colour mode, they will be brighter in modes with
     more colours.



Version 1.02 updates:
  * Clears screen when quit.
  * Handles MODE changes.
  * Does not appear in TaskManager listing.


Version 1.03 updates:
  * What the hell did I do to that program? I couldn't figure out what
    sort of scrambling that was, so I loaded it on an emulator and
    extracted the code directly from memory. Then I made some modifications
    to the compressed version of the program because...well... do I even
    HAVE the original code anymore?
  * Updated to work on 32 bit hardware by virtual of not having a weird
    executable.
  * Changed "Setup" to read "Edit "!Run"" as I thought this was clearer.
  * Fixed error in error report code (later Wimps are more finickety).
  * Added a keypress wait in the Christmas Present nervous breakdown, so
    you can - like - read it.
  