Even the animated cursors and flashy wallpaper that came with Microsoft Plus! Virtual pets, and screen mates that will liven up your computer screen. ScreenMates are animated and non-animated objects that live on your desktop. Some ScreenMates float around your desktop, others move along the edges, drift upwards, drift downwards, pop-up at random Locations or wrap around your desktop.
Screenmates are different sorta of virtual pets. They are little animated things that walk around your desktop while you do other things. Some walk on the open windows, some talk to you. You can interact with some of them, but others don't have many actions you can do. Compared to other virtual pets, screenmates are very small files. Most screenmates are advertising gimmicks, but you usually don't have to sign up for anything.
They do tend to have a product theme (such as pet food or a new movie).