Desktop XP is an audio-reactive, experiential installation that challenges the conventional expectations of how users interact with desktop environments.  At first , visitors are presented with a familiar Windows XP–style interface, but as they explore the on-screen system and the physical objects placed on the desk, the environment gradually reveals itself to be unstable and misleading.

Icons avoid the cursor by constantly moving, keyboard inputs behave unpredictably, and prolonged interaction causes the system to loop the user back to earlier states. These features encourage playful exploration while questioning assumptions of control, efficiency, and navigation within computer interfaces.

The project is built entirely in Python using the Arcade framework, with a windowing system that supports draggable, resizable, and layered windows. Video content is presented through frame based playback, allowing precise synchronization with audio events. The desktop environment functions as both an interface and a narrative space, blending real-time interaction with audiovisual feedback.

Audio interaction is driven via OSC (Open Sound Control) communication with a SuperCollider server, which receives real time data from the desktop environment. Cursor movement, window focus, and interaction states are mapped to sound effects and audio processing parameters in Super Colldier, resulting in a reactive audiovisual installation that blurs the boundary between the familiar and unexpected.

Future iterations of Desktop XP will extend the interaction beyond the screen by incorporating Arduino-based hardware inputs, including accelerometers and ultrasonic distance sensors. These physical devices will allow users to influence the digital / sonic environment  through tangible objects on the desk.