Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope 1.0

Would you like to see kaleidoscopic images based on images of fruit, show up on your monitor whenever your computer goes idle? If you said “yes”, then you need to check out the Jim Bumgardner-developed screensaver, the aptly named Got Fruit? Kaleidoscope. If you answered “no”, then let’s move on.

Perhaps you would like to see kaleidoscopic images based on real neon signs show up on your monitor whenever your computer goes idle. If you said something like “sounds interesting”, then you need to check out the Jim Bumgardner-developed screensaver, mainly Got Neon? Kaleidoscope. If you said “no, that doesn’t sound interesting either”, then let’s move on yet again.

If neither Got Fruit? Kaleidoscope nor Got Fruit? Kaleidoscope spurred your interest, perhaps Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope will. This screensaver, which is offered free of charge by its developer, displays various kaleidoscopic images based on images of flowers. As Jim Bumgardner explained, images of roses, daisies, orchids and sunflowers are used to come up with amazing kaleidoscopic images.

So what are you waiting for? Download the screensaver, install it on your Windows-powered computer, and enjoy the beautiful images. It will not cost you a think and you’ll be done in a moment. Downloading the application off the web and onto your computer can’t possibly take long, not when it weighs in at 454KB. Even on a less than spectacular internet connection it will only take a moment for the download to complete.

The installation process will complete before you know it. I counted some 5 clicks from launching the Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope executable and until the installation process was done. Speaking of which, I have to say that I particularly liked that during the installation process I was asked to select the installation directory (some screensavers don’t let you select the installation directory), I was asked if I want Start menu shortcuts, and if I want Sparkles to be set as the active screensaver.

Pros

• Lightweight download
• Installs rapidly
• Beautiful images
• Freeware

Cons

• None that I could think of

About Jim Bumgardner
In the past, senior technical guru Jim Bumgardner has worked for big name companies like Yahoo!, Topspin, Time Warner, Macrovision, and Ogilvy & Mather. He currently works for DigiSynd, Disney’s social media group that brings the trusted Disney presence to audiences in their native online environments. He is Director of Application Development at DigiSynd.

Jim Bumgardner co-authored the O’Reilly book “Flickr Hacks” with Paul Bausch and founded the Flickr Hacks group on Flickr.

Jim’s interests cover a wide area. He is a programmer, data-visualization expert, Flash expert, artist, musician, composer, puzzle constructor, teacher, and software developer. He particularly likes to come up with various software toys which he offers free of charge via the krazydad.com site.

Additional information on Jim Bumgardner is available on the abovementioned krazydad.com site.
Additional information on Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope is available here.

Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope has been reviewed by George Norman on 15 Mar 2011. Based on the user interface, features and complexity, Findmysoft has rated Got Flowers? Kaleidoscope 3 out of 5 stars, naming it Very Good