The S21(6a) release of Kirsten’s viewer came out recently. It is the version you should use UNLESS you want to be one of the testers. Today KirstenLee released an alpha version of the next viewer version. You are warned that the viewer is rough and has bugs. However, I’m plagued with a curiosity about what is new in viewers. So, if you’re curious too read on or if you just like breasts…
Breasts Physics Coming?
Download & Install
File size is 24mb. The install is the typical KLV (KirstenLee Viewer) install. But, I found I could not install it without removing S21(6a). In my initial install I tried to place the new install in its own folder. The install program insisted I remove my S21(61) before it would proceed. I gave up and installed it over the top of 6a.
Today Kirsten released a new version of the S21 viewer. This is not a release candidate. I suppose we can call it a production version. Whatever we call it, it is out and we can use it. Kirsten S21 Download The Mac and Linux versions will be up soon, if not already.
Download and Install
The download size is 29 mb. The install is typical of the S21 viewers. There are no special instructions from Kirsten about installing. The previous version must be uninstalled before the install will proceed. The uninstall process is built into the install program. That keeps things simple and easy. The cache is removed. The settings are retained.
The complexity of version numbering for viewers and the code dumps coming from Linden Lab make clearly telling you what version and features your likely to encounter nearly impossible. There has been a load of code added to the S21(6) and changing to RC3, while logical to a developer, doesn’t really tell the user the extent of the changes. I think of Release Candidates as less about features and new code than about bug fixes. This new version is more about new code.
Channelwood in Kirsten S21(6) RC3 with Shadows
Kirsten puts it very in the release announcement writing:
S21(6) is now a superset of Viewer-Development, Viewer-Mesh, Viewer-XMPP and Viewer-Social 😀
It has been a monster to get everything working, however the result is a viewer of epic cutting edge niceness.
I don’t know what is called when beyond the Bleeding Edge of tech development, but whatever that is, is where this viewer is.
EyeFliez - Kirsten Viewer Hangout
The KirstenLee viewer is probably thought of as a viewer built by KirstenLee Cinquetti. A recent blog post reveals that the KirstenLee Viewer is now a growing team. If you’re interested in the people behind the viewer, check out the blog post, Meeting KirstenLee and Dawny.
The post has some interesting information about how the team sees and describes the viewer. No longer do they think of it as just for photographers’ and machinimists’ viewer. They see it as more of a high-end general purpose viewer… Ok, …it’s going to be some time before my thinking changes. But, I do use the viewer more and more for everyday use in SL.
Early this morning Kirsten released a Release Candidate of the new S21(6) version. KirstenLee’s announcement lists the significant changes in this version. See: S21(6) – RC1 shipping now! Read on for my experience with this version of the viewer.
This version is released in Windows and Mac versions only. The release is labeled an early build… All the typical versioning designators used by most software developers do not apply to the Kirsten Viewers. It is somewhat like experimental aircraft. Even when an experimental plane reaches a stable model and is sold to others it remains an experimental model. So, it is not completely accurate to say this is an alpha or beta version.
One has to realize KirstenLee is developing for the high-end techie with a high-end machine. Consideration for legacy machines and novice users is NOT high on KirstenLee’s priority list. It isn’t an animosity; it’s just that KirstenLee is not letting requirements to be compatible with older technology disproportionately hold back development of the viewer.
In keeping with that line of thinking this viewer will NOT install on machines that do not meet advanced requirements. I suppose too many people with old hardware and software were complaining of problems. No matter what KirstenLee says about the viewer being an advanced model with advanced hardware requirements people tried to run it on equipment that was not adequate and then complained. Now it should be blatantly obvious when you don’t have the hardware to get it up.
