Recreating the Flying Toasters screen saver for the Vision Pro

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Nostalgia and Screensaver Culture

  • Many commenters are delighted to see Flying Toasters revisited and recall After Dark as a formative, whimsical part of early computing.
  • People reminisce about other classic modules (Star Trek, Opus ’n Bill, singing toasters), Johnny Castaway, MOPy Fish, BSOD screensavers, and bouncing DVD logos.
  • Several list all the “historical context” now needing explanation: CRTs, burn‑in, physical software, floppy disks, TechTV, and old Mac/PC eras.

Design and Technical Feedback

  • The current version is seen as a fun “1.0” with room to grow.
  • Suggestions include more reflective/metallic “physically based” toaster materials, better lighting, and possibly environment-like reflections; API support for true environment reflections is unclear.
  • Some note apparent glitches in the App Store video where toasters rotate oddly on interaction.
  • A few wish for ports or expansions like VR versions of other classic screensavers (Windows Maze, XScreenSaver modules).

AI-Generated Icon Reactions

  • Several commenters strongly dislike the AI-generated app icon, calling it off-putting and visually incoherent.
  • Others defend it as acceptable for a solo developer lacking art skills, though some insist even simple “programmer art” would feel more authentic and increase their willingness to pay.

App Size and Technical Constraints

  • The ~150 MB app size is questioned as large for a seemingly simple concept.
  • Comparisons are made to the tiny size of the original After Dark modules, with rough estimates and historical data showing tens of kilobytes per saver.
  • Some speculate the bulk is due to heavy assets or bundled cruft; another Vision Pro dev reports a small app size when using no assets.

Vision Pro, Use Cases, and Adoption

  • Discussion broadens into whether Vision Pro is “dead on arrival” or an early, dev‑kit‑like step similar to early iPods/iPads/iPhones.
  • Some argue it’s impressive but niche and too expensive; others say they use it daily for movies and focused work and find it excellent.
  • There’s debate over whether VR/AR will ever be mainstream, with comparisons to HoloLens, Quest generations, and historical Apple products that only took off after later revisions and better content.
  • Several point out major barriers: cost, comfort, limited “killer apps,” Apple’s developer relations, and dependence on content owners for compelling media experiences.
  • Others counter that screensavers and similar whimsical apps can be valid, enjoyable experiences even without strong functional justification.

Privacy and Gaze Tracking

  • The article’s mention of blocked gaze‑tracking access sparks debate.
  • One side criticizes Apple for restricting powerful hardware features to narrow uses.
  • The other side views blocking third‑party gaze access as essential for privacy, preferring to trust a single platform vendor over many apps.
  • Some remain uneasy that the platform owner still has access but accept that if they don’t trust that, they simply shouldn’t buy the device.