Double Agent
 | |
 Screenshot of the Double Agent copyright page on Windows 11. | |
| Name | Double Agent |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Cinnamon Software |
| Initial release | June 1st, 2010 (14 years ago) |
| Latest version | 1.3.59 |
| Latest version release date | June 5th, 2014 (10 years ago) |
| Written in | C++ |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| License | GNU Lesser General Public License 3.0 (daserver.exe & dacontrol.dll only) GNU Public License 3.0 (other components)[1] |
Double Agent is an open source alternative to Microsoft Agent designed for Windows 7.[2] It was developed by Cinnamon Software as a response to the discontinuation of Microsoft Agent in 2009. Despite it being primarily optimized for Windows 7, it is also known for working well on Windows 11. The latest stable release is 1.2 build 56, with 1.3 build 59 being the latest alpha release.[3]
Usage
Following the release of Windows 11, many users began to notice issues with Microsoft Agent on the operating system. As a result, Double Agent, which was designed for Windows 7, became popular among Microsoft Agent content creators for this new release of Windows. However, like Microsoft Agent, Double Agent also had compatibility issues, primarily with crashing. Double Agent was also known for giving characters that had no text-to-speech engine attached a voice.
As a result, some users continued to use Microsoft Agent rather than Double Agent to avoid issues. However, usage of Double Agent has began to decline after a community member figured out the correct compatibility settings for Microsoft Agent in Windows 11.[4]
Gallery
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Screenshot of Double Agent on Windows 7. -
Screenshot of the Double Agent copyright page on Windows 11. -
![Promotional box graphic of Double Agent.[5]](/images/thumb/7/75/Agent_box_1.jpg/82px-Agent_box_1.jpg)
Promotional box graphic of Double Agent.[5] -
Experimental character editor that comes with the Double Agent SDK. -
Screenshot of Double Agent being found in Windows 7's appearance settings. -
A download page for Double Agent. -
Microsoft Agent crashing when removing the spawn script of a character and clicking Hide, then spawn another character, or when removing the spawn scripts of two characters and click Hide with both characters. This may also cause Double Agent to crash. -
Double Agent crashing sometimes due to unloading 2 characters by removing their spawn scripts and then clicking Hide with both characters.
![Promotional box graphic of Double Agent.[5]](/wiki/File:Agent_box_1.jpg)
Trivia
- Applications that call the Double Agent Server or use the ActiveX control do not need to have their source code published. However, applications that use the other controls of Double Agent (such as the COM control) will be required to public their source code under the GNU Public License 3.0.
- This is likely done so that non-Double Agent applications like the Microsoft Agent Scripting Helper can use the Double Agent Server instead of the Microsoft Agent Server.
- Despite Double Agent being developed for Windows 7, it also works well on later versions of Windows, most notably Windows 11.
- Double Agent is one of the few open source Microsoft Agent-related programs.
- It is likely that the Double Agent project has been discontinued by Cinnamon Software.
