(12/01/02) I decided to purchase the Klinger Rocket Screen Saver with minimal expectations, after all it is just rocket photos, right? Well, the short answer is yes, however, the long answer is no. It really is more than just rocket photos and yet is it nothing more than rocket photos! Whoa, too philosophical! Let me explain.

The photos are taken by Marc Klinger, a professional photographer. In his own words, "The Rocket Screen Saver is the first major project from Klinger Photography and combines three of my passions, photography, high power rocketry, and computers. I had almost 2000 source images to work with for creating this project. About 1800 came from LDRS XXI (the Tripoli national high power rocket launch), held in July, 2002 at Amarillo, Texas. The remaining source images came from a local Michigan Team-1 high power launch held in April, 2002 at Three Oaks, Michigan. From those 2000 images, I used about 400 to create 140 collage images that make up the screen saver. Each image was created with an optimal display resolution of 1600x1200."

So, you now you can understand. It really is just photos. But, perhaps you do not quite understand. It is really more than just photos! Here we go again!

The quality of the photos, the selected layouts (collages) are outstanding! Every one that flashes up on the screen makes me marvel at it. There is no way of really demonstrating the clarity within this review. Here is one of my favorite layouts, highly compressed and shrunk. Just imagine this filling your entire screen with perfect clarity. Then look at that flame!

There is a technical aspect to the Screen Saver and Marc did that professionally as well. He utilized Stardust Software's professional Screen Saver Toolkit to generate the final product. Doing this gives the Screen Saver a professional look and finish, including the expected install and un-install software.

In addition, Marc included optimized photos for 1600x1200, 1280x960, 1024x768, and 800x600 screen resolutions and there is an appropriate installation program for each of these. The photos are not hidden in any way so they can be used as desktop backgrounds.

I installed my copy, using the installation program, at work on a Windows NT system. It was flawless. Now, when I stop typing long enough, I'm rewarded with a wonderful... photo (but it is more than that! <grin>). The photos change on the screen at a user defined frequency and use 23 different types of transitions (float down, pop up, left to right, diagonally, etc.)

At home, I just copied the directory of the appropriately sized photos into the My Pictures directory of my Windows Xp system. I then used the Windows Xp screen saver and simply pointed to the directory with Klinger's photos.

With 140 images, you will see something new frequently, so unless you sit and stare at your screen saver for hours, you will not get bored with this.

Overall, I'm very pleased. More so than I would have thought going into it. I give the Klinger Rocket Screen Saver an OVERALL rating of 5 points.

I would like to see updates! Possibly every 6 months that allow registered users to download maybe 20 additional or replacement photos. Or possibly, Klinger will need to have update disks for a nominal fee or download for less of a fee.

Input from Kevin Trojanowski off of RMR:

Okay, so I FINALLY got off of my butt and ordered the Screen Saver late on Friday. It arrived today; how's THAT for prompt shipping?

The quality of the photos is incredible, and I love the fact that they're all included as JPGs, so you can view them directly.

The really cool thing for me is that it Marc included a sequence of Lusty's "exciting" flight, which showed some images I had not previously seen. Because of them, I know have a good understanding as to what caused a "squiggle" in her flight.

It also shows some nice stills of some rockets I remember specifically, as well as a few failures I also remember.

Overall, the quality is exceptional, and provided the powers that be don't have a cow about it, this one will be landing on my computer at work!

-Kevin