I downloaded an early freeware version of Iconico's Screen Calipers in mid-2001 and was very impressed, but I'm underwhelmed by the latest version (3.0) which seems to me an iconic (pardon the pun) example-in-embryo of the "software bloat" pervading applications across the board.

Software bloat is of course that all-too-familiar and unfortunate phenomenon afflicting later versions of what were once useful & economical programs, overburdening them with more & more unnecessary functionality and superfluous features & gadgets.

In deference to people like me who loathe this sort of seemingly inescapable "creeping featurism" in software applications, I think Iconico would do well to set a ground-breaking example by making earlier (and better) versions available for download from its website.

Sorry that you feel that the Screen Calipers are now 'bloated'. You can of course still get the older versions from here:
http://www.iconico.com/caliper/old.aspx

I agree with you that feature creep is an all too common problem in software development, however all of the features that have been added to the software have come from numerous requests and feedback from people who use the Calipers every day.

The main new feature in version 3 is rotation. I've recieved literally hundereds of emails asking for this feature and I can't imagine the software being better off without it. The configurable units that were added with version 2 were also a result of user input. Specifically could you list the unnecessary functionality and superfluous features & gadgets?

What's been attempted with the Screen Calipers is to create a single configurable tool that can accuratly measure anything on the screen. Version 3 of the Calipers does include a lot of features, I have tried to keep the menus clear and simple to use, falling into four main categories, allowing flexibility without overwhelming people with choice.

I do also offer the version 1 user interface as a skin which you can download here:
http://iconico.com/caliper/skins.aspx

In all of the versiond of the Calipers I've tried to keep one point in mind which is that the software was originally released as freeware. Therefore all the original features from version 1 are still free to use for an unlimited time.

I must apologise for going off half-cocked about "software bloat" in Screen Calipers 3.0, because when I downloaded and executed it my first impressions were unfavourably coloured by the flashy default skin with its seemingly excessive controls and by the horrid "trails" it left when dragged.

But after perusing the www.iconico.com website in more detail I can see now why such arcane users as tooth-measuring orthodontists might appreciate what had seemed to me a pointless new rotatability feature, and no doubt the other new features have their diehard fans.

I've also since discovered that Version 3.0 is more configurable (especially with a purchased licence) than I'd at first realised, with a choice of measuring units, calibration of "custom" units, selection of different skins, and hiding of (to me disagreeable) Color Bars.

But I still hate the "drag trails" (can they be toggled off?) and for my simple pixel-measuring needs I think I'll stick to Version 1.0 with its "classic" skin (it will come as no surprise that it's my favourite), so thanks for the link to earlier downloadable versions.

I'm glad that you've changed your mind about the additional features in Version 3. I'm sorry that you're experiencing trails when the application is dragged. I have noticed that occasioanlly the application will leave trails, expecially on slow machines when a lot of programs are running.

Good luck with whatever version of the Calipers you decide to use.

It's been a while but to update you on the 'trails' problem; we think we finally have an answer. If you download the new version 3.3 you should find that there are no longer any.