Rainmeter
| Rainmeter
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|---|---|
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| Basic data
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| developer | Rainmeter Community |
| Current version |
4.3.1 ( September 22, 2019 ) |
| operating system | Windows |
| programming language | C # , C ++ |
| category | Widget |
| License | GPL |
| German speaking | Yes |
| rainmeter.net | |
Rainmeter is an extension for the desktop and system-observation program (System Monitoring ) in Windows from Windows XP.
idea
The Windows operating system is usually installed with an almost empty desktop. Since the system only offers insufficient options for arranging the icons on the desktop, a full desktop was also confusing and therefore impractical. Rainmeter is one approach to filling the unused space by displaying information, design elements and quick starters. Windows 8 is now doing something similar in the start menu replacement, but since the desktop is retained and the new start environment hardly offers any customization options, desktop extensions continue to provide additional options.
functionality
Rainmeter starts with the Windows desktop environment and interprets configuration files (called skins) in a special format, whereby each file can usually display a specific element on the desktop. The configurations indicate which information should be read from which source and tell Rainmeter how it should be displayed and which interaction options should be offered. In the standard installation, ready-to-use, mutually compatible configuration collections are supplied - so-called suites - which provide a comprehensive range of visually matching configurations for newcomers.
Examples of supplied data sources are: system time, system information, system load, feed reader , media information. More can be added through plug-ins . The data read out can (among other things) be displayed as text, graphs, bars and images.
use
The main use is the desktop modding area, since many functions are designed to display system information or to shorten repetitive work steps. Small changes (such as arrangement on the desktop) to existing suites do not require any programming knowledge, whereas creating your own skins requires such skills and an understanding of the syntax (there is no editor, the files have to be written by hand).
Rainmeter is the most popular tool of its kind (with almost 2 million downloads of the penultimate version) and is particularly widespread among computer gamers (as they benefit from up-to-date system information that is always available in the overclocking sector).
See also
- Samurize
- Yahoo Widget Engine (formerly Konfabulator)
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Release 4.3.1 . September 22, 2019 (accessed September 23, 2019).
- ↑ The rainmeter Open Source Project on Open Hub: Languages Page . In: Open Hub . (accessed on July 19, 2018).
- ↑ Rainmeter In: netzwelt.de Freeware of the week
- ↑ Rainmeter Downloads on Google Code