Demo Creation Software

By Pawan Nayar, STC India Chapter

This is an extract from an article in the March issue of Indus, the newsletter of STC India Chapter.

Whether you are trying to explain a computer problem or you require explaining a sequence of software steps, the use of a demo helps. Many demo creation software packages are available in the market. Starters may use Microsoft PowerPoint to create good demos. However, you can use two powerful software packages—Camtasia 3.0.1 and ViewletBuilder2—to create quality demos. This article compares these two powerful software packages.

Camtasia

Camtasia, the flagship product of TechSmith, is a video-editing tool. You can use Camtasia to record videos, edit them, and add text and sound overlays to them. Camtasia can capture text being written on the screen, cursor movements, mouse actions, and menu selections and save these as an image that you can play back later. Camtasia saves output files in multiple formats such as avi, asf, rm, and animated gif. Using the right viewer, you can play these files across multiple operating systems.

Camtasia consists of the following components:

  1. Recorder. Recorder captures all action on computer screen, or a window, or a user-defined fixed region.
  2. Player. It provides standard video playing features. You can adjust sound and move across the video in both directions.
  3. TechSmith Screen Capture Codec. TSCC is the standard codec shipped with Camtasia files. This is a video encoder-decoder that is perhaps one of the most efficient for producing quality avi files.
  4. Producer. Producer is the engine of the Camtasia suite. Producer allows you to edit avi files. You can use multiple avi files to create movies and insert transitions between each file.
  5. DubIt. DubIt adds audio overlay to video files produced by Camtasia. You can either import audio from pre-recorded files or add audio in real time to movie clips (avi, rm, asf) and images.

ViewletBuilder

ViewletBuilder is a frame-based demo-cum-tutorial creation tool that creates interactive output files containing screenshots, text, and speech overlay. ViewletBuilder allows you to define click zones and text zones that can wait for user interaction and check the integrity of response.

This feature ensures that the output file does not only serve static information transfer but also causes the user to make decisions. Creative use of click zones and text zones can help simulate the user environment and create a computer-based training (CBT).

The output files produced by ViewletBuilder are called viewlets. Viewlets are HTML files calling JavaScript functions. You can create viewlets in Windows, Solaris or Linux and view them in Windows, Solaris, Linux and HP operating systems. You can also use viewlets in Intranet sites or as part of routine software documentation in CDs.

Camtasia vs ViewletBuilder

The power of Camtasia lies in capturing sequence of images, whether from a web site or on your own computer. You can even use Camtasia to capture game shots of DirectX games. These images can have text and sound overlay and serve as an effective demo of software. You can use Camtasia to capture desktop problems and use it to get faster, effective service from HelpDesk. Electronic and CAD designs, medical explanations, and interactive web sites can include Camtasia files.

As opposed to Camtasia, the real strength of ViewletBuilder lies in creating and maintaining quality tutorials. The advantage of having text and click zones serves as the match winner. The output is interactive, greater involvement of users ensures they end up retaining information longer.

Use Model

Camtasia is a suite while ViewletBuilder is an effective integrated application. This difference reflects in the two software's use models.

In Camtasia, you have to switch back and forth across multiple tools to use its complete power. ViewletBuilder has a simple use model revolving around three steps. First, capture all the screenshots. Second, add text or interaction to them. Finally, add sound. All three media serve as layers and can be edited independently.

However ViewletBuilder, in an apparent attempt to popularize viewlets, provides documentation only as viewlets. If you need to search help for some word or some feature, you will find no easy method of accessing the right information. This shortcoming can become irritating.

Portability

Both Camtasia and ViewletBuilder produce output in formats that are portable across multiple operating systems. Camtasia generates animated gif files, which run on all important browsers on all operating systems. Animated gif files are 256 color files and contain no sound. If you need more colors or sound, you can create avi, asf, or rm files in Camtasia. These files require a viewer to be present on the user's system. ViewletBuilder generates viewlets, which run on all important browsers on Windows, Solaris, Linux, and HP operating systems.

Speed

This is one area where Camtasia is a runaway winner. The speed of avi files is extremely fast. Viewlets are often slow.

Cost

Again, Camtasia wins here by a mile. Camtasia costs $150 for one license and $500 for five licenses. ViewletBuilder comparatively makes a much bigger hole in the pocket. It costs $999 for one license and if you buy 21 or more licenses, it costs $450/license.

Miscellaneous

Camtasia is produced by TechSmith. For more information about Camtasia, check www.techsmith.com. ViewletBuilder is a product of Qarbon and its detailed documentation and samples are available at qarbon.com.

Summary

If you are looking for an effective demo tool that costs almost a penny and produces output files that can be viewed across multiple browsers and operating systems, use Camtasia. However if you are looking for an effective documentation strategy, which involves going in for eLearning or adding creative tutorials with product documentation on CDs, then vouch ViewletBuilder.

The Devil Mountain Views -- May/June 2002
(ebstc.org/newsletter/front.html)
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