I read a few books on the subject (the best ones are by Cozy Baker), and learned about the Brewster Society, which she started.

I visited an amazing collection of scopes in Fullerton at the Eileen Kremen Gallery, purchased a few, and began learning a little bit about stained glass, so I could construct my own scopes.

I also started programming kaleidoscope simulations in various languages, including Java, C++ and Flash actionscript.

I have collected a few of these screensavers, and a lot more kaleidoscopic goodness at my website KrazyDad.Com

I am probably the first person to create a computer simulation of a specific real-world kaleidoscope. My Charles Bush Kaleidoscope employs photos of the glassworks of a real 19th century kaleidoscope.

MetaScope is the most elaborate kaleidoscope screensaver I've created to date. While watching it, you can type in words like Britney Spears or Kittens or Picasso or anything else you like. It pulls matching pictures off of the Internet, and in seconds, you get a gorgeous kaleidoscope, customized to your personal interests. Try this free demo version. More kaleidoscopes here...