"MARS.EXE" Question Neputne 5111

[jtmccutcheon98]

Hello. I am new to the site, so I hope I put this in the correct subforum. If not, I am sorry.

I have recently acquired a copy of Neptune Build 5111. There is a section in the Wiki on this site that tells about MARS.EXE, but even after reading the article, I am still confused as to its purpose. I can not get it to start. Can anybody explain what it is and how to start it?

Thanks in advance!

[dans34]

mars isnt designed to be started

mars & marscore is what translates the xml based .hta files into applications

[rthdribl]

MARS is, well, magic:
http://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12921

And HTA is not exactly XML-based:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library ... 85%29.aspx

That's a typical example of an "early stage of development" ;)

[jtmccutcheon98]

I have had trouble finding information on it on the internet, so I appriciate the links.

Correct me if I misunderstand, but it's assumed that it is the base of the UI for the all of the experimental HTML programs, right?

If so, thank you so much. I'm going to look into this further by myself I think.

[rthdribl]

Well, MARS seems to be a tool enabling an elevation from HTML to an active HTA "application". But as you can read, it was quite unstable, so MARS was split into separate files for each activity center. In the end, the Centers were scrapped, and MARS was limited only to the PC Health UIs, but you can see in the marspch.dll file, that in the beginning, it was meant to be a wrapper for all the HTA use cases, including logon screen etc.

There aren't any Activity Centers in ME, only few applets are HTA-based in XP and the HTML-based GUI framework had to wait until Windows 8, but, of course, using a different approach.

[jtmccutcheon98]

Ah, thanks "rthdribl", I think I have a better understanding now. I appreciate the information. I don't quite understand the icon though, thats how I noticed it in the first place. It is rather strange.

[Venetik]

We know also that MARS.EXE became Messenger, OR some part of it went to Messenger.

[rthdribl]

We know also that MARS.EXE became Messenger, OR some part of it went to Messenger.

We do?

[MouseOnMars]

We know also that MARS.EXE became Messenger

mars supposed to become msn explorer at the end (at least partial), but didn't, it failed miserably just like Neptune did

OR some part of it went to Messenger.

this is more likely

[zacb27]

Tell me how Neptune failed. I am very interested in your answer.

[jtmccutcheon98]

Tell me how Neptune failed. I am very interested in your answer.

As am I, I have used Neptune a lot, and other than the obvious glitches running an old system in 2014, I would not be able to tell it was a beta if I didn't know. In fact, I am sending this from Neptune as we speak!

[MouseOnMars]

Tell me how Neptune failed. I am very interested in your answer.

obviously it was never done as final product -_-
just because you get half working beta build that can be somehow fixed doesn't mean it was meant for working state

its just research and possible planning...

[zacb27]

Tell me how Neptune failed. I am very interested in your answer.

obviously it was never done as final product -_-
just because you get half working beta build that can be somehow fixed doesn't mean it was meant for working state

its just research and possible planning...

The logic of "a project getting merged = failure" is very interesting.

[MouseOnMars]

merged != continued

except help center and firewall XP has nothing that connects to neptune

[Wheatley]

merged != continued

except help center and firewall XP has nothing that connects to neptune

Then why do they exist? Thought so.

[MouseOnMars]

thought what ?
speak normal

[deBop]

Merged != Failed.

[MouseOnMars]

I meant, it failed as project itself, standalone

[mrpijey]

People, please keep on topic! This is not a thread about the existence of Neptune, but "Mars.exe". If you want to discuss Neptune start a new thread.