Software Review of:
Opal Creek
Screensaver 

Opal Creek features color photo of a wooded creek with water gently flowing (actually moving) over rocks and fallen tree branches with butterflies darting about. The sound of the water is the soothing part of this program. Not only does Opal Creek offer one creek, it offers seven creek scenes.

Hard to imagine? Well, imagine this. You are sitting on the bank of a small creek, in a beautiful forest, under the cool shade of huge trees. The sound of the water flowing over rocks makes your eyes heavy — and the pressures of the day begin to fade. You feel relaxed. Not bad therapy for the cost of this shareware program - $7.95. Too expensive? Then try the freeware version — but you only get two creeks!

How does it work? It’s like watching a movie but the program author says it is not a simple looped movie but rather the program uses random numbers to result in dynamic animation of the water and the butterflies. Each creek is a photograph. The flowing water is the animation part. It’s hard to describe what you see with a still photo but visualize the water as moving then you will see the magic of this program.

An Opal Creek icon is placed on your desktop during installation. Right clicking the desktop allows you to configure the screen saver: pick which creek scenes you want. I chose them all,  and how many minutes to view a creek scene before evolving into the next one (I have my setting on two minutes per scene).

Opal Creek screensaver is designed to run on Win95 and above although a system faster than a P200 is recommended for good framerate. You can buy the full version for $7.95 on-line. If you’re a tree hugger, you’ll be glad to know that for each purchase $1 will be donated to Earth Share. For the freeware verson, go to Scene Candy  and click on products.

Caution, don’t blame me if you get so relaxed that you nod off and hit your head on your keyboard.