Is Pennywise still maintained in 2024?

No, Pennywise is explicitly not maintained. The author recommends using 'Always on Top' as the successor project, which is actively developed and updated.

How to enable Flash support in Pennywise?

You need to copy or symlink Chrome's Pepperflash plugin to ~/.pennywise-flash. For example, on macOS, create a link from the Chrome application support directory to enable Flash playback.

Pennywise vs Always on Top – which is better?

For new users, 'Always on Top' is preferable since it's maintained and likely has more features. Pennywise might work for basic needs but lacks long-term support and fixes.

Can I open multiple Pennywise windows at once?

Pennywise is designed for single window instances. Running multiple instances isn't optimized or natively supported, so it's not ideal for managing several floating windows simultaneously.

How to disable auto-embed for YouTube videos?

Toggle the 'Edit > Embed Videos' option in the menu to disable auto-embed. This is necessary for videos with user restrictions, as mentioned in the README issue notes.

Does Pennywise support browser extensions?

No, Pennywise uses a basic web view without extension support, limiting its functionality compared to full browsers like Chrome or Firefox.

Open-Awesome

Pennywise

MITJavaScriptv0.8.0

A cross-platform floating window application that keeps websites and media always on top for seamless multitasking.

GitHub

3.9k stars225 forks0 contributors

What is Pennywise?

Pennywise is a cross-platform desktop application that opens websites and media in a floating window that stays on top of all other applications. It solves the problem of constant alt-tabbing by keeping reference materials, videos, or dashboards visible while you work on other tasks, enhancing multitasking efficiency.

Target Audience

Developers, students, and professionals who need to keep tutorials, documentation, videos, or monitoring tools visible while working in other applications.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Pennywise for its simplicity, low resource usage, and powerful always-on-top functionality that works across macOS, Windows, and Linux. Unlike browser tabs or separate windows, it provides persistent, customizable floating windows with adjustable opacity for distraction-free multitasking.

Overview

Cross-platform application to open any website or media in a floating window

Use Cases

Best For

Watching coding tutorials while working in an IDE
Keeping documentation or reference materials visible during development
Monitoring dashboards or live data feeds while working on other tasks
Watching video courses or conference talks without switching windows
Displaying a calendar or task list as a desktop widget
Showing live demos or UI previews during presentations or recordings

Not Ideal For

Users requiring multiple, simultaneously managed floating windows
Projects needing advanced browser features like extensions or developer tools integration
Teams seeking an actively maintained tool with regular updates and bug fixes

Pros & Cons

Pros

Always-On-Top Functionality

Keeps any website or media floating above all other applications, eliminating constant alt-tabbing, as emphasized in the README for multitasking.

Cross-Platform Consistency

Works seamlessly on macOS, Windows, and Linux with downloadable releases, providing a uniform experience across operating systems.

Minimal Resource Footprint

Designed with a lean UI and low system consumption, ensuring it doesn't interfere with other applications' performance.

Auto-Embed for Videos

Automatically embeds videos from sites like YouTube and Vimeo for distraction-free playback, though it can fail with restricted content.

Cons

Abandoned Project

Explicitly marked as not maintained, with the author redirecting to 'Always on Top,' meaning no future updates, security patches, or support.

Incomplete Feature Set

Planned features like persistent options and bookmarking are unimplemented, limiting usability for long-term or complex workflows.

Platform-Specific Limitations

Adjustable opacity, a key feature, is only supported on Windows and macOS, not Linux, reducing functionality on some systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

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