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The Transparent Desktop Trick

Orphia Nay

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Orphia Nay
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http://stupid-ideas.blogspot.com/2006/07/transparent-desktop-trick.html

Found that on the intertubes, and thought I'd give it a go. Here's my attempt, although it's not as good as some of them:

windowanddesktop.gif


Anyone else fancy giving it a try and showing us your attempt? :)
 
Yes, I StumbledUpon that idea on the weekend. All my monitors are backed into corners, so there's not a lot to be seen through them.
 
Neat! Unfortunately what's behind mine is a bunch of blank wall next to my front door. Boring view. :(
 
My monitor backs into a mirror, which might make a curious effect, but I'm not sure I could do a very good job of it.
 
This would be easiest with a laptop (at the very least a flatscreen is needed) and a tripod for the camera (or at least a specific place to put it).

Take a photo with the lid up, then close the lid and retake the picture.

I'll have a go this evening, although i don't have a tripod.
 
I saw that on Instructables.com, tried it and didn't quite get a pleasing effect.

Now a company is producing Skinits, covering graphics stickers that go on the laptop lid. The thing is, when you are using the laptop (at meetings and such), the graphic is mostly for other people to look at.

I got a free one, but if they weren't so pricey I'd probably get a couple other ones, like a great optical illusion like Mr. Angry & Mrs. Calm. I also thought of getting a screenshot of my Desktop and using that, so people would say "Why are you using your laptop backwards?"
 
Not that I'm cynical but I wonder how many of these made use of Photoshop or something similar?
 
Not sure I get the point. It seems like a lot of work to make the monitor appear to be transparent, when it isn't.

Is this the latest fad or something?

RayG
 
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orphia nay said:
http://stupid-ideas.blogspot.com/2006/07/transparent-desktop-trick.html

Found that on the intertubes, and thought I'd give it a go. Here's my attempt, although it's not as good as some of them:

[qimg]http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w194/orphia/windowanddesktop.gif[/qimg]

Anyone else fancy giving it a try and showing us your attempt? :)
Click to expand...

Wow. Ideally, what kind of camera would have the best shot of giving you the best effects? I know nothing about digital cameras.
 
RayG said:
Not sure I get the point. It seems like a lot of work to make the monitor appear to be transparent, when it isn't.

Is this the latest fad or something?

RayG
Click to expand...
Not exactly a fad, as such, but an interesting trick which provides, as the lolcat said, a moment of cognitive dissonance.

And I'm all for that.
 
Unfortunately it only works from the angle BKACo, aside from which no one else would get it.
 
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Ummm... yeah, because of the way it's positioned, the only one seeing anything on the screen of my computer would be... me.

I'm all for having a cool desktop, but this just doesn't strike me as cool.

RayG
 
arthwollipot said:
Not exactly a fad, as such, but an interesting trick which provides, as the lolcat said, a moment of cognitive dissonance.

And I'm all for that.
Click to expand...

Yes, I'm all for that also. I think its really cool.

But to make it look convincing I suspect that one needs a high end digital camera with a large MP. (Not sure if I'm using the right phrase because I know very little about this area.)
 
Best version of this I ever saw was done on an old laptop.
The owner sawed the screen out, leaving the frame.
With the lid open, it looked amazing. It was in front of a window (ie a real window) and just for a second, the effect was quite inexplicable.
 
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