Razzle Dazzle (software)

Razzle Dazzle
Original authorJames R. Shiflett
Developers
  • MicroTronics
  • Road Scholar Software
Release1990 (1990)
Written inx86 assembly, C
Operating systemWindows, DOS
TypeScreensaver
LicenseProprietary

Razzle Dazzle, originally named Dazzle, is a screensaver originally developed for DOS by James R. Shiflett. It was first published in 1990 as shareware before being commercially released by Road Scholar Software of Houston, Texas. A successor for Windows named Razzle Dazzle 3D was released in 1994. It was one of the most popular screensavers for DOS and Windows systems of the 1990s.

Description

Razzle Dazzle is a screensaver developed for DOS and Microsoft Windows. Most distributions of the screensaver offer both a standalone DOS executable for manual activation and a terminate-and-stay-resident (TSR) program. As a TSR program, the screensaver remains dormant in memory until a user-defined period of keyboard inactivity is reached, at which point the screensaver runs automatically. On activation, the screensaver generates a series of procedurally animated, highly colorful visual patterns. These patterns frequently include mirrored shapes akin to kaleidoscopes and particle-based simulations designed to resemble fireworks and meteor showers. The screensaver uses a variety of transition effects to cycle between animations, such as fading and dissolving, scrolling, wrapping, and melting.[1][2] Dazzle supports EGA, VGA, and 8514/A graphics adapters.[3]

Development and release

Razzle Dazzle was originally developed by James R. Shiflett, a computer programmer based in Houston, Texas, who had worked for the Houston Advanced Research Center in The Woodlands, Texas, administering the organization's NEC SX-2 supercomputer since the 1980s. In his free time at night, he developed Dazzle, becoming "a sort of therapy" for him.[4]: 1D  As he recalled: "I'd do my administrative trick during the day, and at night I'd sit on my computer and think up new algorithms to add to Dazzle".[4]: 1D  Many of the visual effects in Dazzle were inspired by an explosion scene within an installment of Star Trek that Shiflett had seen during this time.[4]: 1D  Shiflett programmed Dazzle largely in Turbo C, while some of the image generation code done in x86 assembly.[5] A devout Christian, Shiflett included a small religious message within a splash screen when the user exits Dazzle: "Our Creator, evidenced by our creativity".[4]: 6D [3]: 1C 

Dazzle was first published as shareware in 1990 for US$15 by Shiflett's home business MicroTronics.[5][6]: 354  The original version of Dazzle was developed a standalone DOS executable that had to be launched manually by the user.[6] In 1992, Shiflett signed a deal with Road Scholar Software, a start-up software company based in Houston, to distribute Dazzle commercially at retail stores starting in late 1992.[4]: 6D  Road Scholar had previously developed a fleet management software platform by the same name in the late 1980s; Dazzle became its second-ever title and established Road Scholar as a software publisher.[7] For its commercial release, Shiflett tweaked Dazzle to support a separate TSR mode.[1] It also gained support for Windows 3.0.[8]

Dazzle (renamed Razzle Dazzle by Road Scholar) sold immensely well for Road Scholar and became one of the most popular screensavers of the 1990s,[7][9] competing with titles such as After Dark and Johnny Castaway.[10]: 1D [2] Even after its commercial release, shareware distribution of Dazzle was still a major source of revenue for Shiflett, bringing in between $1,200 and $1,500 per week in late 1993.[4]: 6D  Road Scholar later released a patch for Razzle Dazzle in summer 1993, allowing the screensaver to work in tandem with QEMM after users reported that the screensaver failed to activate and the keyboard froze after the user-defined activation time elapsed.[11][12] Shortly after, Road Scholar began development of its successor, Razzle Dazzle 3D.[10]: 1D [13] Released in 1994, Razzle Dazzle 3D added support for Windows NT 3.1 and added a new mode incorporating 3D graphics and the playback of MIDI music files; it also shipped with the original DOS application.[14][15]

Miramar Productions, in association with Radio Shack, produced a 45-minute art film based on the Razzle Dazzle screensaver, with score by Jonn Serrie.[4]: 6D [16] Entitled Dazzle, it was released on LaserDisc and VHS in fall 1993.[16][17]

Reception

Dazzle received largely positive reviews from critics.[14] Compute! magazine, reviewing the original DOS version, wrote: "The results are simply beautiful. Everyone who's seen the program has spent many minutes in rapt enjoyment of the effects. I can't recommend the program too highly; I was so smitten myself that I made a videotape of the screen and dubbed in some appropriate music for use as a background relaxation program on TV".[2]

References

  1. 1 2 Shannon, L. R. (March 9, 1993). "The Best of All Possible Weddings". The New York Times. p. C9. ProQuest 428975938.
  2. 1 2 3 Idol, Charles (October 1993). "Reviews: Three Screen Savers". Compute!. Vol. 15, no. 10. General Media International. p. 108. ProQuest 223184428 – via the Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 Browne, Lonnie (February 27, 1993). "Razzle Dazzle your screen". The Ledger. Lakeland, Florida. p. 1C, 9C – via Newspapers.com.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Silverman, Dwight (November 26, 1993). "Marketing the Beast". Houston Chronicle. p. 1D, 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 Shiflett, James R. (December 30, 1990). Dazzle Users Manual. MicroTronics – via DiscMaster.
  6. 1 2 Salemi, Joe (January 14, 1992). "Advisor". PC Magazine. Vol. 11, no. 1. Ziff-Davis. pp. 353–354 – via Google Books.
  7. 1 2 Fisher, Daniel (April 5, 1993). "Road Scholar's path to profit began with gamble". The Houston Post. p. E6 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Blasko, Larry (March 11, 1993). "Software puts the fun back in computing". Thousand Oaks Star. p. D6 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Silverman, Dwight (February 11, 1995). "Small Tech Firms Gain by Working in Partnership". Journal Record. Oklahoma City. ProQuest 259362273.
  10. 1 2 Silverman, Dwight (October 15, 1993). "The case of the flying toasters". Houston Chronicle. p. 1D, 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Shannon, L. R. (July 27, 1993). "Lost in a Complex Maze". The New York Times. p. C7. ProQuest 429140624.
  12. ↑ Shannon, L. R. (August 10, 1993). "When Memory and Frill Collide". The New York Times. p. C6. ProQuest 429220942.
  13. ↑ Silverman, Dwight (November 18, 1993). "Small Houston software firm makes mark at computer show". Houston Chronicle. p. 1D, 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  14. 1 2 Blankenhorn, Dana (June 24, 1994). "Review of Razzle Dazzle 3D, screen saver". Newsbytes. The Washington Post Company – via Gale.
  15. ↑ Brenesal, Barry (August 1994). "Razzle Dazzle 3D Screen Saver Takes Color to a New Dimension". Computer Shopper. Vol. 14, no. 8. SX2 Media Labs. p. 474. Gale A15565293 – via the Internet Archive.
  16. 1 2 Cragin, Sally (December 1993). "Eye Candy". New Age Journal. Vol. X, no. 6. Rising Star Associates. p. 108 – via Google Books.
  17. ↑ Del Moro, Donna, ed. (1997). Laser Video Guide: Winter 1998. NVI Publishing Group. p. 401. ISBN 9781889048048 – via Google Books.
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