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For those who are making screencasts of their software, some observations:These are great tips. Thanks. This can be applied for any demonstration of anything...I can use it at work when explaining technical things to an audience. Thank you.
1) making multiple short screencasts that are very focused on a particular idea is 100x easier than trying to make one big long screencast; plus it has to be easier on the user. i think 2-4 minutes is the sweet spot.
2) you'd be surprised how long it takes to explain something -- so plan to focus really narrowly.
3) doing a bunch of screencasts one after the other can be quite productive -- once your mind gets into the flow of speaking while you are using the software, it gets more comfortable. so plan to sit there and do quite a few retakes before you start to get comfortable, and then do a bunch of them in a row.
4) if you're aiming for doing lots of screencasts quickly, instead of perfecting each one, then just keep restarting the recording until you get it right, rather than try to edit it post production.-mouser (August 19, 2009, 09:55 AM)
Personally I just use Alt+L to wrap-format the paragraph I'm in, and that seems to work just fine?I understand the Alt-L thing, but that's not the only issue. Besides, like I said in another thread, why do we have to do that in the first place? I don't have to Alt-L in any other program I write in, but I have to do it in my email editor where I write more than anywhere else. They need to fix the wrapping so it works like a normal editor.-f0dder (August 18, 2009, 09:36 AM)
I started a thread about it on the mailing list:For example, the Bat still can't wrap lines like a normal editor.-superboyac (August 06, 2009, 03:37 PM)
Can you elaborate on this point?-Innuendo (August 06, 2009, 04:11 PM)
I'm using microEd and I have the free caret option turned off. In email
programs I've used, and
also with the bat, I always have issues with word wrappiing. Specifically
for the Bat, I notice
problems when I type a paragraph, but then go back to edit something or
delete something in the
middle of the paragraph. What happens is that the line wrapping gets all
screwed up and if I add
some words to the middle of the paragraph, that line I added on to will now
stretch way beyond the
regular wrapping edge. Similarly, if I delete words, the line will shorten but
it won't bring along
the next line with it...in other words, only that one line will shorten even if
more words from the
next line can fit above.
The point is, the wrapping only works when you are typing the paragraph from
scratch. When you go
back to edit a paragraph, all the wrapping gets broken and messed up. Why
can't it dynamically wrap
everything like any other text editor would do? Is there a setting somewhere?
I've run into this before and someone suggested that when that happens, I
reformat the paragraph
with some shortcut (I forgot what it was, but it was something similar to just
aligning left). But
my real question is why can't the program do this automatically?
I've never used or purchased any Collectorz software, but I remember checking their software out when they first released all their programs & I distinctly remember thinking to myself, "These guys are taking one program and database, changing the labels to suit different types of collections, and reselling the same program over and over masquerading as different, distinct programs. Is there any possible way a software company could exhibit more greed and be even more unscrupulous?"I don't have a problem with them making a core engine, and then tweaking it for several different applications. A lot of developers do that. Like Powermarks and MP3Rat, which are both developed around the same search dialog box feature. So that doesn't bother me.
Sadly, all these years later, Collectorz has shown me the answer to that question. My sympathies to all who bought into their crap & may the authors have a special circle of Hell reserved for them due to their greed & business practices.-Innuendo (August 03, 2009, 12:03 PM)
Who in their right mind spends $50 a year to host a movie collection? Well, good luck to them...I know. That's insane. I like Collectorz software, but that's no good. I'd have to be buying a hell of a lot of movies (like mulitple DVD's per week) to justify spending money for a $50/year catalog database.-TucknDar (August 03, 2009, 11:47 AM)
Direct folder seems to be a commercial program.Direct Folders is freeware. You get additional features for the Pro version. These features are not that big a deal for most people. Did you read my review?-Contro (July 30, 2009, 05:38 PM)
Just be aware that some versions of Windows have a bug that if you switch your drive controllers to AHCI that although Windows will go through the motions and ask you for new drivers and what-not the drives won't actually be in AHCI mode as these buggy Windows versions will 'forget' to change the necessary bits in the registry and that'll all have to be done by hand if you want your drives to be in AHCI mode.Geez, I had no idea this was such an involved process. i was hoping for plug and play.
I had a friend who bought an eSATA enclosure and wanted to you the hot-swap feature if I am remembering correctly. His PC had been set up in compatibility mode & he needed to change to AHCI mode for everything to work right. It was an adventure of discovery for him.
I'll check later and see if I still have his old emails on the subject, but I do definitely recall it wasn't a "change the setting in your BIOS, reboot, and your fixed" kind of deal.-Innuendo (July 30, 2009, 11:12 AM)
