# DesktopBeast™ v1.0 EA RC2

![TechBeast™ Data Capture Suite shared beast-monitor mark](docs/assets/techbeast-suite-mark-widescreen.jpg)

DesktopBeast™ ("DTB") v1.0 Early Access Release Candidate 2 is a fully usable early-access Windows capture tool in the AI Underground TechBeast™ Data Capture Suite.

AI Underground is the publisher and web-based flagship. TechBeast™ Data Capture Suite is the software family for BrowserBeast™, DesktopBeast™, and ArchiveBeast™.

The beast-monitor mark shown above is the shared TechBeast™ Data Capture Suite logo family.

Official site path, once deployed: `https://ai-underground.ai/desktopbeast/`

Current status: DesktopBeast™ v1.0 EA RC2 is Validation Green and release-path staged. It is not publicly downloadable or for sale yet.

Positioning:

DesktopBeast™ v1.0 Early Access
Desktop capture, OCR, and ArchiveBeast™ Library review for the TechBeast™ Suite.

Subline:

Capture your screen. Read the text. Preserve the record. Review it in your local library.

## Included

- DesktopBeast™ capture app for desktop, application, and window artifacts
- ArchiveBeast™ Library viewer
- BrowserBeast™ v1.0.1 Freeware companion extension
- DesktopBeast™ PNG + Markdown capture workflow
- BrowserBeast™ Markdown-only adaptive viewer workflow
- Local-first records
- Evidence Envelope metadata
- Privacy advisory language

BrowserBeast™ and DesktopBeast™ are different tools. BrowserBeast captures browser/web artifacts. DesktopBeast captures desktop/application/window artifacts. Both produce local-first evidence artifacts. BrowserBeast is included as a companion extension and is loaded separately in a browser.

ArchiveBeast™ Library can review BrowserBeast Markdown captures when the Browser shelf is pointed at the folder containing those captures. BrowserBeast does not automatically sync into ArchiveBeast yet.

## Launch

DesktopBeast™ v1.0 Early Access is distributed as a ZIP package. Extract the ZIP to a folder, then run `DesktopBeast.exe` or `DesktopBeast.cmd`. A full Windows installer is planned for a later release.

Use either launcher:

- `DesktopBeast.cmd` opens the DesktopBeast™ main capture window.
- `ArchiveBeast Library.cmd` opens ArchiveBeast™ Library directly.

You can also run:

```text
DesktopBeast.exe
DesktopBeast.exe --library
```

## Core Flow

1. Open DesktopBeast™.
2. Activate the app or window you want to capture.
3. Press `Ctrl + Shift + D`.
4. Review the full-screen Capture Screen.
5. Open the capture in ArchiveBeast™ Library or open the artifact folder.

`Ctrl + Shift + D` also supports intentional capture of stable DesktopBeast-owned windows such as ArchiveBeast™ Library, Settings, About/Notices, and the Main Window. Transient DesktopBeast capture/completion windows remain blocked by the self-capture guard and produce readable skipped diagnostics instead of silently failing.

## Background Hotkey Listener

Closing the DesktopBeast™ main window hides it to the system tray instead of fully exiting. This keeps the `Ctrl + Shift + D` hotkey listener active while you work.

Use the tray icon to reopen DesktopBeast™, open ArchiveBeast™ Library, or Exit DesktopBeast™ completely. The in-app Exit button also fully quits the hotkey listener.

## Output

Default output folder:

```text
Documents\DesktopBeast EA Beta\Captures
```

This legacy default folder name is retained for this RC package. You can change the output folder in Settings.

## Review Before Sharing

Review captures before sharing. DesktopBeast™ may preserve private/logged-in indicators, visible desktop content, window titles, file paths, OCR text, or page/app content visible at capture time.

Privacy warnings are advisory and non-blocking.

DesktopBeast™ captures locally and does not silently upload captures. User sharing/exporting is a separate act. Cloud AI analysis is a deliberate user choice, not hidden behavior.

DesktopBeast™ creates local-first desktop evidence artifacts. You decide whether an artifact stays private, is redacted, or is shared with an AI platform.
