Once upon a time, screensavers were big business (remember flying toasters?). Even in the dear old (still-not-quite-dead) days of MS-DOS, the latest kaleidoscope could always be counted on to get a few squeals of eye-delight from passers-by.

Now, with better processor speed and more, cheaper memory, such graphics seem positively archaic. Where once geeks were content with effects that would elicit a simple "Wow!" from the viewer, of late their work has been edging ever closer to the realm of (dare I say?) art, and often (and even more dangerously) beauty.

Twice [Retinal R&R, in Magellan's Log 7, and Free Beauty, in ML45], we've surveyed the latest and best programs that put beauty on your monitor. Those programs (and our comments on them) remain valid. Take a look and you'll see. You will SEE. These programs have ONE purpose: to use your computer to make your eyes very, very happy.

A couple of recent developments prompt the following update:

BOMB
Scott Draves's "Bomb" program, which we praised to the skies way back in Issue No. 7, underwent a series of improvements recently. The new version is available at his site. Eye-candy-wise, BOMB remains in a class by itself. Though the resolution of its images and its color palettes remain problematic, BOMB's rich variability and uncannily evocative patterns are unique. Read our appreciation here and then check it out for yourself. The program is free.

MONKEY
Ryan Geiss first appeared on computer screens all over the world several years back with a screensaver called "Geiss RIngs," which was a quantum leap beyond flying toasters and kaleidoscopes. He then made another quantum leap when he created a visualization program called "Milkdrop" for use with the music-playing utility, Winamp.***

Milkdrop remains the single most (ready?) beautiful music-graphics program created for the PC. Exquisitely sensitive and responsive to pitch, volume, and tempo, Milkdrop dances on your screen in a seemingly infinite array of colors and shapes. Wonderfully variable when running on its own, the program also allows you to interact in various creative ways. You can read our original appreciation of Ryan Geiss's work here.

Now Mr. Geiss has done it again with "Monkey," another free visualization plug-in for Winamp. Where Milkdrop presents your retinas with a vast array of imagery, Monkey is a one-shot eyeball-buster. With Monkey, Ryan Geiss puts you in an endless subterranean (or possibly submarine) cavern and lets you fly fly fly. With absolute ease you glide past and through lovely, colorful organic shapes (see screenshot above)--on, and on, and on. Imagine the best flying dream you ever (or never) had, and this has to be close.

END

***Winamp is a free music-player that you can download here. Important note: There is old Winamp, known as Winamp 2, and new Winamp, known as Winamp 3. Ryan Geiss's plug-ins are written for Winamp TWO. For more info on Winamp see our comments in ML43.

Get BOMB here.
Get Winamp 2 here.
Get Ryan Geiss's programs here.

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