Kaleidoscope: File Comparison App Review
While it might seem like a niche software category, file comparison software is a must-have for anyone involved in programming or graphic design, among other fields. Programmers use file comparison software to spot differences in blocks of code, while people who work with image files can use this type of software to analyze multiple prints of the same image. Kaleidoscope, for Mac, is one such app, and thanks to its long list of features, it’s positioned as an app that could be pretty useful to anyone who works with text, HTML, or image files of any sort.
Kaleidoscope, developed by Sofa (a company also known for its Versions and Checkout apps) is available exclusively for Mac OS X. It’s compatible with versions 10.5.8 or higher, and 10.6.2 or higher. It also requires an Intel processor (no support for PowerPC at this time). A full licence for Kaleidoscope goes for €29 and is available from the developers’ website (http://www.kaleidoscopeapp.com). A 30-day free trial is also available.
The first thing you’ll notice about Kaleidoscope is how simple and clean its interface is. The main window of Kaleidoscope is a nearly blank screen prompting you to drop in the files you’d like to compare. You also have the option of using tabs, to work on multiple comparisons at once. The tabs work the same way as in most web browsers, including Safari, and you can add, subtract, and reorder them in much the same way.
There are a few different ways to compare image files in Kaleidoscope. One-Up view displays one image at a time at full size, and you can switch between them with a simple A-B button. You can also set the images to switch automatically at an interval of your choosing. Two-Up view shows the images side-by-side, and they can be zoomed and magnified separately. Split mode displays the two images in the same space simultaneously, with a black line, which you can reposition, separating them. Difference mode combines the two images and highlights the areas where they differ. All of these tools are incredibly easy to use.
Text file comparisons are also very smooth and simple; again, there are a few different options for comparison layouts. The Block view is the side-by-side comparison mode, adding space to documents where necessary in order to ensure that corresponding text can indeed be viewed side-by-side. Fluid view is similar, but adds color-coding to corresponding blocks of text for easy viewing, instead of altering the spacing of the documents. Unified view puts the corresponding blocks on top of one another, rather than side-by-side. All of these views include some handy tools, particularly the difference jumper button in the bottom right corner, which shows how many differences there are in the file and allows the user to move between them instantly.
In terms of style and ease of use, Kaleidoscope is an excellent example of Mac-specific software design. There is, however, still a bit of room for improvement with respect to features and functionality. One feature that is missing from Kaleidoscope is the ability to merge files. While Kaleidoscope is great for visually comparing files, a file merging feature would really put it over the top. It’s also missing the folder comparison feature that is present in some other comparison apps.
Kaleidoscope is a simple, attractive app that makes the process of comparing text and image files as easy as can be. However, if you want to be able to merge the files you’re comparing at any point, you may want to wait for a future version.