xearth for Windows

Version 1.2
January 11, 2012

Table of Contents

1 Introduction
2 Installation
3 Operation
4 Description of Settings
  4.1 Property page: Image
  4.2 Property page: Viewpoint
  4.3 Property page: Sun
  4.4 Property page: Labels
  4.5 Property page: Quakes
  4.6 Property page: Dots
  4.7 Property page: Shading
  4.8 Property page: Time
  4.9 Property page: Display
5 Known Bugs
6 Acknowledgements
7 Legal stuff

1 Introduction

xearth for Windows is a port of Kirk Johnson's original xearth program to Microsoft Windows. xearth renders a shaded image of the earth on your desktop, as seen from your favorite vantage point in space. By default, the image is updated every five minutes according to the current position of the sun.

2 Installation

To install xearth, simply place the executable (xearth.exe) in a folder on your computer. If you would like xearth to start automatically when you log on to your computer, create a shortcut in your Startup folder to the xearth.exe program file.

3 Operation

When xearth is running, a small icon representing the globe is shown in the system "tray" area (near the clock display). To activate the xearth settings page, click with the right mouse button on this icon and select Properties (you may also double click with the left mouse button to activate the settings page).

The following options are available on the right click menu:

Refresh
The Refresh option causes xearth to immediately begin an update of the displayed image. Note that the updated image may not appear right away, because xearth calculates the image as a low priority background task.
Close
The Close option will terminate xearth and restore your original background image.
About
The About option displays program version and copyright information.
Properties
The Properties option displays the xearth settings page. See the following section for detailed information about the options on this page.

4 Description of Settings

5 Known Bugs

The following problems are unlikely to be fixed.

6 Acknowledgements

This program would not exist if it were not for Kirk Johnson's original xearth program for the X window system. Many thanks to Kirk for this fine program.

7 Legal stuff

Copyright © 1997,1998,2000,2003,2006 Greg Hewgill
Original xearth Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1993-1995, 1999 Kirk Lauritz Johnson

Parts of the source code (as marked) are:
Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1991 by Jim Frost
Copyright © 1992 by Jamie Zawinski <jwz@lucid.com>

Permission to use, copy, modify and freely distribute xearth for non-commercial and not-for-profit purposes is hereby granted without fee, provided that both the above copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies and in supporting documentation.

Unisys Corporation holds worldwide patent rights on the Lempel Zev Welch (LZW) compression technique employed in the CompuServe GIF image file format as well as in other formats. Unisys has made it clear, however, that it does not require licensing or fees to be paid for freely distributed, non-commercial applications (such as xearth) that employ LZW/GIF technology. Those wishing further information about licensing the LZW patent should contact Unisys directly at (lzw_info@unisys.com) or by writing to

Unisys Corporation
Welch Licensing Department
M/S-C1SW19
P.O. Box 500
Blue Bell, PA 19424

The author makes no representations about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.


xearth for Windows is Copyright © 1997,1998,2000,2003,2006 by Greg Hewgill
This document revised 2006-07-27
Author: Greg Hewgill <greg@hewgill.com>
xearth for Windows Home Page