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DeskChat

deskchat live — Interactive Chat Wallpaper

Turn your desktop into a live, ambient chat wall. Watch messages float in as you work. To post, use a tiny Windows tray app — no account needed.

Get the tray app here: https://deskchat.live

What is this?
• Live feed: real-time messages rendered directly on your wallpaper.
• Zero friction: pick a nickname in the tray app and post.
• Lightweight: minimal CPU/GPU usage; auto-pauses updates when the desktop isn’t visible.
• Privacy-aware: no raw IPs stored by the app; profanity filter + rate limiting server-side.

How it works
• This Workshop item is a Web wallpaper that shows the public chat (read-only).
• To send messages, install the free Windows tray app from https://deskchat.live
• The tray app talks to the API and your messages appear here within seconds.

Setup
• Subscribe and set this wallpaper active in Wallpaper Engine.
• (Optional) Install the tray app from https://deskchat.live
.
• Open the tray app, choose a nickname, type your message, hit Send.

Controls & behavior
• The wallpaper is read-only — posting happens via the tray app.
• It polls for new messages roughly every 2.5 seconds (adjustable in the wallpaper) and keeps the last ~30 messages visible.
• When your desktop is hidden or locked, it automatically slows/pauses to save resources.

FAQ
Q: Do I need an account?
A: No. Just set a nickname in the tray app.

Q: Is it moderated?
A: Yes — server-side profanity filter and rate limits. Messages older than 7 days are automatically purged.

Q: My messages don’t show up.
A: Make sure the tray app is running and you’re online. You may be temporarily rate-limited if you post too quickly.

Q: What media works?
A: Emojis (Win + .) and Tenor GIF links. To post a GIF, paste a Tenor URL (for example: https://tenor.com/view/you-will-buy-me-a-beer-beer-you-will-buy-cat-silly-cat-gif-7256532802543576519
) into the chat box.

Performance tips
• Use this where you want light ambient motion.
• The wallpaper caps visible messages to about 30 to stay smooth.
• On laptops, updates pause when the desktop isn’t visible.

Privacy
• No raw IPs are stored by the app. The server stores only a hashed identifier for abuse protection.
• Posting uses an anonymous device ID generated locally by the tray app.
• Details and downloads: https://deskchat.live

Troubleshooting
• If you see CORS or network errors, make sure you’re on the latest version and try re-applying the wallpaper.
• For posting errors (422/429), the tray app shows a clear message (too long, blocked language, or rate-limited).

Credits & links
• Website and tray app: https://deskchat.live
• Backend: Laravel API
• Client: Windows tray app built with .NET 8 (WPF)