KirstenLee has posted an announcement about the release of a new version of the viewer: S19 (407). See: What dreams may come! In this post KirstenLee explains why version S19 is being used. Basically because this is the version of the viewer KirstenLee likes working with and using.

KirstenLee Viewer S19 (407)

This is not a cutting edge viewer. Basically it is a V1 viewer being adapted to V3 three features and recent SL system changes. It is easy on hardware. So, I would class it as being in the same field as Singularity and Cool VL Viewer; V1 interface viewers.

A new version of an older KirstenLee Viewer has been released, which is surprising. The news comes from KirstenLee’s blog. It is a short one sentence announcement. I show the blog page as this first image.

KirstenLee Blog Page 2013-17

KirstenLee’s last release was in September 2012 and a version S22. In December of 2011 Kirsten had to stop viewer development when his (RL)/her (SL) family was dealing with health issues. See: The End of Kirsten’s Viewer, which describes the failure of a ‘CrowdFunder™’ effort to save the viewer.

I thought I had seen the last of KirstenLee’s viewer. But, a couple of days ago a new post popped up on the blog and the code repository was updated 9/23/2012. Since then there have been over 14,000 downloads of the Kirsten Viewer. I was 14,695.

I am not sure how up to date the viewer is. My last download was 21(9) in July 2011, over a year ago. The current version is 22(1a). The install notes say there are only minor changes from 21(9).

I found the time to download and rez things to be long. Inventory took a couple of minutes to download. Of course my avatar would not rez until I had most of my inventory. I suspect the viewer is still using the UDP protocol for several services that have updated to HTTP.

Direct Delivery’s Received Box is there. Mesh is handled. The Interface is mostly Viewer 2, it has the sidebar. Menu buttons can be turned on and off but no button drag and drop.

It is amazing how little Viewer 3 has changed, interface-wise, from viewer 2 days.

The speed is good. I’m getting 25 to 40 FPS without Lighting & Shadows, Ambient Occlusion, and Sun & Moon.

I don’t know if this new release means Lee has time to work on the project or what the story is.

But, it is nice to see a new version of the viewer out.

Today in world The Official Kirstens Viewer Group got a message from Sylvia and Lee aka Dawny and KirstenLee. The end of the Crowdfunder effort has come to an end and we are about 79% short of the goal. Lee will be closing the group.

Bye Kirsten

There is a farewell message on the blog. And Finally…

There are some interesting and in some ways disturbing statistics in the article. It seems there were 3,000 to 4,000 regular users per month. The average number of downloads were 6,000 to 8,000 per month. But, only a couple hundred of us chipped in to continue the viewer. Sad, imo.

The Niran Viewer is based on Kirsten’s Viewer. It is very different from Kirsten’s and as best I can tell has a different feature set. But, it may work for you.

My best to Sylvia and Lee.

Kirsten Contribution Panel

As of December 7 there will be 9 days left to raise the funds to keep the Kirsten Viewer alive. Today 25% of the needed funds have been raised. Unless a white knight shows up or people get a move on, it looks like the Kirsten Viewer is a goner.

See: http://www.kirstensviewer.com/

Visit CrowdFunder to donate. Please pass this link around. Post signs in SL. You can pick up a copy of the sign at my place in SL.

Only 129 people have donated. When the 21(9) version came out it was the only TPV that could upload mesh. Hamlet thought all 8,000+ down loaders were dedicated users. I was sure it was more like 1,500 from previous months’ download numbers. Still I assumed there were more users that liked the viewer enough to donate. So far that is not the case. Seems we both over estimated.

One does get some benefit for donating toward the viewer. See my Previous Kirsten Update.

My image is an old one… the current image at Crowdfunder shows the current actual contributions.

Please do what you can to help.

Kirsten Contribution Panel

In my article Kirsten Viewer Update I covered the effort of people to raise enough money to pay Lee to continue development of the Kirsten Viewer. That effort is under way.

This is a reminder of the need for more money. Remember, you get your money back if the project does not reach its goal.

You can help in world by placing reminders around. I have in-world prims that link to the CrowdFunder site. The image to the left is what they look like. The previous one that was self updating had problems. The new one is just a link to the CrowdFunder site and Kirsten’s Viewer project.

Please help out by contributing or setting one of the sign/links out.

Today Lee posted on the Kirsten Viewer blog. The post is an update on the current effort to get Lee funding so that he can afford to work on the viewer and support Dawny. He discusses the goals for and results of the funding.

Funding

Lee is looking for funding to reach the point it can cover a year of development. For one with obligations that is understandable. Basically he is saying, hire me for a year or I need to get a job that will. That covers his comfort zone.

Hamlet Au at new World Notes posted an article on saving the Kirsten Viewer. From information coming from Dawny and Lee the problem is a change in their income from health issues. Hamlet put together that if the money comes from developing the viewer, development could continue. Duh! Why didn’t I think of that.

See: Kirstens’ Viewer Development Could Continue – If Kirstens’ 8500 Users Donated $6 Each!

Composite of DieselDemon & Migasun Images - Flickr

I’m not buying the $6 per year average. Hamlet basis his number on the 8,500 downloads of the Kirsten S21(9) viewer. That is a recent development. The typical download is 2,000± per version. I think it more likely that there are 1,500 or so devoted fans of the viewer.

The recent increase in downloads is likely due to the fact that until just recently, Kirsten’s was the only mesh capable viewer, other than the Lab’s. Capable not just in the sense that it can render mesh, it also uploads mesh. AFAIK, it is the only TPV that can upload.