Captivate
If there’s anything like a Swiss Army knife among the authoring systems for software demos, then it’s Captivate. The program offers a scope of functions that’s by far the largest, especially with regard to quiz functions and branching scenarios. Despite this, the usage remains surprisingly simple.
Advantages: unsurpassed scope of functions, yet rather simple to use; flexible customization of the output; smooth translatability (XML export and re-import); attractive results
Disadvantages: high price; only few output formats supported; unclear documentation; slow update cycle (Vista-compatibility, for example, took nearly one year)
Price: approx. €800; also available as part of the eLearning Suite and Technical Communication Suite
http://www.adobe.com
Demo Builder
Lying hidden behind an uncluttered user interface are more features than you’d guess at first sight. Despite the affordable price, there are hardly any requirements that it doesn’t meet. When a movie is being recorded, the desktop can be temporarily cleared of all icons and running programs. You can record the movie against a virgin background, and after the recording is done, your desktop will appear again in all its original chaos.
Advantages: straightforward, simple and efficient to use; easy to update existing demos; text can be exported for external translation
Disadvantages: the player can be customized only to a limited extent
Price: approx. $199 (Standard), $249 (Professional)
http://www.demo-builder.com
Mimic
Unlike the other products listed here, Mimic focuses very specifically on the needs of technical documentation. You’ll frequently feel this, especially when it comes to updating your demos. Here, only Captivate comes close. Unique features are the possibility of using variables while working with texts, as well as composing projects from several individual movies. Individual scenes can also be used several times over, even in different projects.
Advantages: efficient workflow; results can be easily updated
Disadvantages: use requires some familiarization
Price: approx. $299
http://www.madcapsoftware.com
ViewletBuilder
ViewletBuilder was one of the first screencasting tools on the market. Keeping in line with its long history, the software is very mature, solid and professional today. it’s one of the few programs that are available for Linux and Mac as well, but here the program sometimes lags a bit behind the Windows version.
Advantages: detailed configuration possible for reproduction quality and file size; comprehensive event control; text can be exported to XML for translation and then re-imported again
Disadvantages: poor documentation; few possibilities for animation; skins can’t be customized by user but only by the producer for an extra fee
Price: approx. $299 (Professional), $599 (Enterprise)
http://www.qarbon.com
Camtasia Studio
One of the most popular screencasting tools. Its approach is purely full motion based, which makes it difficult to make changes to the recorded movies. Animation and interaction possibilities are rather sparse. Available for Windows and Mac.
Advantages: large number of supported output formats; various useful add-ons
Disadvantages: hardly any functions for interactivity; navigation elements are placed in a separate Flash file, which makes embedding into online help difficult; created screencasts are difficult to update and to translate
Price: approx. $300
http://www.techsmith.com
TurboDemo
One of the few tools that provide an export option to Java. The Enterprise Version allows the recording (not editing) of demos on MAC OS and Linux. Lacks some important features.
Advantages: capture zone can be changed even during an ongoing recording; good export to Microsoft Word; large number of supported formats; simple use
Disadvantages: high price; no timeline; no scene navigation; add-on software (to be licensed separately) is needed for customizing player skins
Price: approx. €200 up to €500, depending on version
http://www.turbodemo.com
BBFlashBack
Along with Camtasia, the only program that follows an exclusive full motion based approach. Therefore, it’s hardly possible to exchange individual frames later on. However, unlike with Camtasia, it’s possible to make changes to the mouse movements subsequently and correct them if necessary.
Advantages: low price; easy to use; preview with fast forward and slow motion; speed of a particular range on the timeline can be adjusted with ease; autoscroll function can limit the movie to any given window size, the software then automatically ensures that regions where the interaction is happening are displayed in the center
Disadvantages: no scene navigation; hardly any possibilities of animation; subsequent changes to the demos are difficult to make
Price: approx. €65 (Standard) and €147 (Professional); there’s also a free “Express” version available that lacks editing and annotation features
http://www.bbsoftware.co.uk
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