Ice

[Wowfunhappy]

Many, many years ago, I came across a Mac app simply called "Ice". It does exactly one thing, which is add animated falling snow flakes to your desktop.

I kind of love it. I turn it on at around Christmas time to get in spirit, or occasionally in the middle of summer when I want to think cold thoughts to cool down (this is a thing, I swear!). And, it still works even in macOS 11.

Here's the thing though—I have absolutely no memory of where I found this app! Does anyone know where it comes from?

 

[E.Lizardo]

Try this. Don't know if it is the same but I just bought it and it does what you describe. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/let-it-snow/id483124549?mt=12

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Try this. Don't know if it is the same but I just bought it and it does what you describe. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/let-it-snow/id483124549?mt=12

Thanks, but that's definitely a different app! (I don't need a new one, I just don't know where this one came from...)

 

[Jessica Lares]

You could have gotten it from MacUpdate then. The developer has it opened sourced here, the files are from December 2011: https://github.com/alxn1/wjoy/tree/master/fun/ice

 

[Wowfunhappy]

You could have gotten it from MacUpdate then. The developer has it opened sourced here, the files are from December 2011: https://github.com/alxn1/wjoy/tree/master/fun/ice

THERE we go, that's the one! Thanks, mystery solved!

 

[Erehy Dobon]

Note that that isn't even the original implementation. It is cribbed from the mid-Eighties xsnow, a little graphics hack included with the X11 windows system for Unix.

It still should be around in desktop Linux distros and FreeBSD. It was certainly present in Red Hat Linux in the Nineties.

xsnow also included Santa's sleigh. Just search for "xsnow man page" and you'll find the command line options.

 

[Rick Jansen]

Note that that isn't even the original implementation. It is cribbed from the mid-Eighties xsnow, a little graphics hack included with the X11 windows system for Unix.

It still should be around in desktop Linux distros and FreeBSD. It was certainly present in Red Hat Linux in the Nineties.

xsnow also included Santa's sleigh. Just search for "xsnow man page" and you'll find the command line options.

Xsnow is still available, and updated for modern Linux: https://www.ratrabbit.nl/ratrabbit/xsnow/

 

[MacBH928]

You could have gotten it from MacUpdate then. The developer has it opened sourced here, the files are from December 2011: https://github.com/alxn1/wjoy/tree/master/fun/ice

are we supposed to compile it ourselves to make it work?

 

[Wowfunhappy]

are we supposed to compile it ourselves to make it work?

I attached a compiled copy to the first post if you want to try that.