Nicholaz's client

I keep hearing about this client, but know absolutely nothing about it. Like what kind of features does it add, but also, do you lose any features as well? That is one thing I am worried about. I havn't been on SL for very long, but I have grown used to using the LL client, and would hate to start using another one and go to do something and realize I can't do it because of the client.

My question would be, what does this client offer, what does it not have, and could you give me some testimonials, but remember to be specific, if you could.

Thanks.

DP

The Nicholaz client runs over the top of the standard LL viewer and has all of the features of the LL client. Main visible difference is that he modified the Communicate window to be more like the previous LL versions prior to Voice implementation. Voice is in there but the user interface is a bit different.

Also, he has fixed several bugs that the Lindens have not so his is for more stable. That's the biggest advantage for me.

Otherwise, no lost features and no significant additions really. Just rock solid stability that LL doesn't offer.

What kind of bugs has he fixed, for example?

I'm sorry for wanting so many details, but before I do something, I like to try to research it completely.

I use his viewers because I have fewer crashes with them, but you can read the release notes here: http://www.blueflash.cc/users/nicholaz/BleedingEdge/!Changes.txt

The most evident difference it is about the memory leaks, they still there (SL eats memory for no apparent reason) but they were (i explain at the end why i used the past..) less than the official version, in one word: SL runs longer ultil ur forced to restart (because your memory is just "finished". That happened until the very recent RC 1.18.4(2) ..this one appears to be *more* stable than the latest nicholaz version (at least for me), that's why i switched back and "abandoned" nicholaz... plus he said he doesn't have so much time anymore to follow the project (because of his RL job) so he will probably release new versions only on major (official) upgrades.
In the future i may start to use again his great client... but for now the current RC works better.

I read the notes, and honestly, there was a lot of it that was just gibberish to me. The reason I ask is so in dumb people speach, which is usually needed when something is being explained to me, someone can tell me more.

I would like opinions and comments, and comparrisons from anyone and everyone who has ever used it.

I bumped my draw distance up this weekend and finally noticed what people meant with the memory loss issue.

Changing it back to my normal 96m fixes the problem for me though, even with a 6+ hour session.

Additionally, where can I find a guide that focuses on performance tweaks?

By this time of night, most everyone is asleep, I'm guessing, I will check back in the morning to see if I have generated any more responses, feedback, and opinions. Additionally, I would like the link to the client. One has already said that LL new viewer is better than the client, so should I stick with LL or try the client?

http://nicholaz-beresford.blogspot.com/

(Check the Links section on the right for the download, but it sounds like you're interested in reading the blog first of all)

Awww... You listened!

Opinion: it's great!

Feedback: I started using Nic's viewer months ago and have never looked back. Fewer crashes, reduced lag, overall smoothness, and (these days) no huge communicate window.

AFAIK He also still has a functional pre-voice version out there (old school). I've moved on to his bleeding edge version despite the fact that I'm speechless. It's runs like a roadrunner.

I'd suggest reading his blog for starters. You can also check his comments and contributions in the Jira.

Unfortunately, but understandably, he has decided to take a break from his mad patching until the next official release. So here's to hoping the monkeys don't put out too many borked release candidates. I'm glad I can stick with Nic's viewer until the next compulsory update and hope he fixes that one quickly when the time comes

Yuppo, but im builder and i've to manage with the whole sim (if not multiple sims across the borders), my draw distance is currently 512m ..but sometime i put it farest than this. It give to me great help, speeding up alot my work, since i can move things sitting in one place, instead loosing my time tipping or flying around. The previous official builds were a nightmare (except one stable version that i don't remember atm, probabl before the voice introduction) so Nicholaz helped me alot, but actually the RC2 is much more stable than enything else and i can run SL for 10+ hours (my client is up h24 usually.. wish "some" restarts). I hope when the RC will goes official it remains stable (relatively) as it is now.

PS: actually my PC crashes (starting when i upgraded my gfx card) are more common than client ones.

I'm using the Pre Voice Old School Version, it is great. I went to Nicks viewers about 6 months ago. I have a middle of the road machine. SL was laggy as hell, mostly due to insufficient memory, and crashed fairly often., to the point of being really unusable. A memory up grade solved a lot of the lag issues, but stability was still an issue , daily crashes, sometimes multiple depending on how long I was on. emptying the trash would cause a crash most times. I'm not technically minded, but I know enough about the basics of how the machine works, I do the basic maintenance, and hardware upgrades, I read Nick's blog, it didn't make my eyes bleed, so I gave it a shot after one particularly nasty "Update". Most of the crashing and other annoyances have stopped, the only deficiency is on my end, a crappy video card. So I say Yeah, give it a try, can't hurt.

I've been using Nick's viewer ever since the first one came out and never looked back. A lot of the bug fixes actually CAN'T be translated into "normal people speak" But the big things like the fixed memory leak or certain types of crashes that he fixed should be easily understandable.
I use the Voice version, but that one has a changed UI compared with the "normal" client-you don't have the ugly Communicate window but a classic one.

And don't worry, if you don't like it you can simply go back to the official SL viewer. I don't think you will though.

Yeah, and you can have both simultaneously anyway-Nick's viewer is basically just an add-on you run that automatically starts the normal viewer.

What does Nick's viewer have? Slightly faster FPS for my laptop. The pre-voice chat/IM style. (Most of the other great features have been incorporated into the Linden viewer now)

What doesn't it have? Crashes, memory leaks

My comments are about the "OldSchool" viewer, I think the voice version does still have some memory leaks if I remember from the blog and others comments. When I tried the new one after voice came out I didn't like the momentary freezes that hung things up so went back.

A couple nights ago at a club, someone was talking about the memory footprint or something, which they saw growing. I asked how to see that and mine was around 300-something. Six hours later it was still 300ish.

I can stay on all day long, and although the viewer did crash on me last night after I tempted fate (mentioning I couldn't remember the last time I had crashed the previous night) usually my connection hiccups or I get red-mapped, rarely does the viewer crash.

If I guessed, maybe three times since last spring? Certainly less than once a month and I'm on pretty much daily.

As I've admitted before, Nicholaz is my SL hero!

Oh! And when you install it, you get a separate icon shortcut, so you can click on the bad Linden viewer if you want to suffer, or click on the Nich viewer for joy, without having to uninstall anything!

Is posting the direct link to the client/viewer against forum rules, I'd really like to know where to get this.

nicholaz-beresford.blogspot.com




He's recently blogged that he's taking a break from his SL bug searching to focus on other things, but said he'll probably return to it when the next mandatory LL release comes out. His current ones are still available for download and very functional.

I'm using his BE-s version

I went and downloaded the viewer last night, but was too tired after work to install it, so I installed it his morning when I woke up. It does feel a lot differeint with the friends list and Im window being two different things, it is definately going to take some getting used to. Also Last night I went in pref. and set my bandwidth to 750, and set my cashe to the same, and also upped draw distance to around 160 or so, I think. I have crashed, full viewer crash, once so far. It happened I was watching a designer friend of mine work on her sim, and I TPed to a favorite store because the designer announced new products, and I used the LM to get there, which took me there by simply double clicking the landmark. Later on I decided to go home, and hit the shortcut to tele home, but it took me right back to the store I had TPed to earlier. Slightly frustrated, I flew back to my home, which happened to be on the same SIM, and went and tried to set my home to my location, and as soon as I selected set home, I crashed.

Ok, update. I have been using the new client for a a couple days now, and so far it has crashed at least 2 times each day.

Apparently you're not impressed.

So far no, I'm not. It seems to crash just the same as the standard viewer, only now I get nice little pop-up boxes telling me that I crashed. I read everywhere that it was more stable, but I'm just not seeing it. All these people who say they go moths without a crash? I don't understand how.

Clean Living?