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576

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 27, 2010, 05:44 AM »

that is what I ended up doing.

577

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: PowerWorship song lyrics review

« Last post by techidave on May 27, 2010, 05:37 AM »

Perry, the slides turn out just like they are typed into the song builder.  A # sign desginates a new slide.  I will see if I can add a slide later on.

wr975, I remember trying SongBeamer but don't know why I didn't like it.  I add scriptures and sermon notes to my song list by entering them into a new ppt and then importing those into my songs at the appropiate spot like before the last song.  This way I can change the format of the slides easier (IMHO).

PowerWorship to my knowledge cannot do videos or anything like that but I don't think it is designed to be an all in one like the commercial programs.

578

Mini-Reviews by Members / Re: --> PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST <--

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 10:44 PM »

ok, now i can see it..
 (see attachment in previous post)

-lanux128 (May 09, 2007, 12:20 AM)

Any progress on getting this to work from the personal area??

579

Mini-Reviews by Members / PowerWorship song lyrics review

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 10:42 PM »

Basic Info

App Name	PowerWorship
App URL	http://www.powerworship.com/
App Version Reviewed	3.0.0.82
Test System Specs	Gateway 450ROG Laptop running XP Pro SP3, Petinum M 1.4, 768 MB RAM
Supported OSes	Win 95,98,NT,2000,XP,Vista,7
Support Methods	Forum
Upgrade Policy	Free
Trial Version Available?	No
Pricing Scheme	None
Author Donation Link	http://www.powerworship.com/donate.html[/url]
Reviewer Donation Link	Review done by Techidave.  Please donate to author.[/url]
Screencast Video URL	If there is a demo or screencast of the app somewhere, post the url here. If there is a DC Screencast, post the link here.
Relationship btwn. Reviewer and Product	REVIEWER: Techidave.  I have been using the program for about 3 years now.  I am only trying to make the program better so I started posting to the forum and have offered my help in testing, offering suggestions for improvements.  I have no inside track on how the software works or anything like that.  Nor do I receive any kind of payment for my services.

Intro:

When our small church got a projector from some memorial money, we decided to project the lyrics to the songs as well as sermon notes.  This led me on a hunt to find something really simple so that just about anyone could run it without a lot of training on the software.  I then scoured the web looking at a lot of different programs by trying out either the demos or sometimes the full product.  I no longer have a list of those programs as the hard drive crashed and they are not gone for ever.  I do remember that one was SongShowPlus but it was too expensive for our little church.


SCREENSHOT OF APP INTERFACE HERE
[attach=#1][/attach] main window

[attach=#2][/attach]  edit window is the same as the "new" window

[attach=#3][/attach]  build song list

[attach=#4][/attach]  settings window

Who is this app designed for:

The app was primarily written to be used in churches and other types of meeting where lyrics to songs might be projected. 

The Good


The install was easy and there are not too many settings too configure after the install.  The user interface is non cluttered and easy to use.  One of the settings that it does have will remember the CCLI license number and it is attached to the last slide of each song.

Another good thing is it is compatible with every version of Windows plus all versions of Microsoft Office.  There is also a verson for Open Office but I have not tried it.


The needs improvement section


Right off, I cannot not think of any but there probably is.  I don't think there can be real time editing of the song list to allow for additional songs to be added at the last minute. 

Not really an improvement request but since most lyrics are copyrighted the program only comes with 20 sample songs.  Plus the fact that all hymnbooks are created equal. 


Why I think you should use this product


I believe PowerWorship is a useful product in that anyone can learn it in a few minutes.  Plus it is free!  I like the fact that it stores the songs as .txt and allows you to create your song list and then create a slide show from that. 


How does it compare to similar apps

In my opinion it is very easy.  Alot of the apps like SongShowPlus are difficult to use in my opinion.  Since it has been a couple of years that I looked at that, I cannot remember all the details.

I did try most of the apps listed on this site

Conclusions

For me, PowerWorship solved a lot of problems I was facing.  I needed something easy to use so that anyone could use it without a bunch of training.  Most users in our church have some familiarity with PowerPoint so that was a plus in my eyes.

The author is very willing to implement new feature requests.  When someone has difficulties using a newer version of Windows and/or Office, he quickly gets the problem solved.


Links to other reviews of this application

I didn't find any good reviews but a small one here

580

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 10:21 PM »

ok what is the trick for moving it out of "my personal area" and into the other section or can you do that for me?

581

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 10:11 PM »

thanks Lanux.  I looked at post when I was searching dc for help on this.  but I missed the connection between teh attach=# and the attachment box below that.

I think I finally got it.  I am writing it in the "my personal area" before moving it to the mini review section.  I hope I can figure that out.

582

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 09:41 PM »

Sorry to be so dense but I do not understand.  I have tried putting the path after the attach= but still nothing.  it won't let me paste the path in there

583

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 09:17 PM »

ok, I am trying to add a screenshot to the template.  I am in the full view mode.  the image is stored locally on my hard drive.  I am using inline display attatchment which then displays something like [ Invalid Attachment ].

it should read something like attach=# in brackets
 But how do I get the file name in theirthere?? 

584

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 02:00 PM »

but I have nothing to do with the coding part of the software.  Only as an end user who is trying to help improve the program.

585

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 01:59 PM »

oh joker you have such good eyes.

586

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 09:28 AM »

Hmm. Text file to Powerpoint program + Powerpoint to DVD program + Portable DVD Player = Ebook Reader
(although I probably wouldn't really do that, I'm just throwing it out there).

Bring on the mini review.

-daddydave (May 26, 2010, 08:54 AM)

Ok Daddydave, you have talked me into it.  I will start the review soon.

by the way I like your name (the dave part).

587

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 09:27 AM »

PowerWorshipTM works with Microsoft® PowerPoint® to allow users to maintain a library of worship songs and to dynamically build slide shows and reusable song groups.

-techidave (May 25, 2010, 08:38 PM)

I don't think it would be limited to only worship songs. I am sure one could add their favorite pop tunes and use it for other purposes, outside of worship...like maybe karaoke. Might be something you might want to try when you do your review.

-app103 (May 26, 2010, 08:49 AM)

Yes App you are correct, it could be used for anything.  I hadn't thought of it in that way.

588

General Software Discussion / Re: church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 26, 2010, 05:46 AM »

Oh, I realize that Cpilot.  But out of 215,000 members and I am the only one who has an interest in something like this?  This forum gets a lot of posts for many different types of software, why not some church software too.  Besides its not like it is related to a certain denomination. 

589

General Software Discussion / church song software

« Last post by techidave on May 25, 2010, 08:38 PM »

I thought I had previously posted this on the dc forums but after a quick search I didn't see it.

I have been using a free program called Power Worship that will display songs during a worship service.  It actually takes the songs that are saved in a text file and then after building a song list, it then creates a power point for you.  It also works with Open Office.

here is a quote from their website

PowerWorshipTM works with Microsoft® PowerPoint® to allow users to maintain a library of worship songs and to dynamically build slide shows and reusable song groups.

URL

Maybe its time for my first mini review.   

590

Living Room / Re: Power supply and SATA

« Last post by techidave on May 25, 2010, 08:28 PM »

A Y cable with three outputs?

-Stoic Joker (May 25, 2010, 05:26 PM)

Y not?

591

General Software Discussion / Re: a copy of Motherboard Monitor?

« Last post by techidave on May 24, 2010, 07:34 PM »

try Open Hardware Monitor here  I haven't used it and it is still in beta.

It was featured on the windows club blog a few days back here

592

General Software Discussion / Re: Sonar Power Manager

« Last post by techidave on May 24, 2010, 12:44 PM »

there probably is something to adjust. I just didn't take the time to look for it.  Besides after I used it for a bit, I decided it wasn't quite as cool as I originally thought.   

593

General Software Discussion / Re: Sonar Power Manager update

« Last post by techidave on May 23, 2010, 10:08 PM »

Well I tried it for a day or so.  It did shut the display off, but it worked too well.  It would shut it off even while I was working on the laptop.  So I uninstalled it.

Oh well, it just sounded like a cool utility.

594

General Software Discussion / Sonar Power Manager

« Last post by techidave on May 22, 2010, 06:08 PM »

I just discovered this cool piece of software while reading thewindowsclub blog.  it turns off your display on your laptop a few seconds after you leave it by using sonar. 

The Sonar Power Manager  uses a new user presence detection technique to shut off the computer display when you are not present.  The goal is to shut off the screen immediately after you leave, even if you just moved the mouse 10 seconds ago.

It uses a very simple type of sonar system to accomplish this: The Sonar Power Manger uses ultrasonics (sound above 20kHz in frequency and which humans cannot hear) on your computers regular sound system.

Source: http://www.thewindow...e-9240#ixzz0ohcjmGZp

see the original website here

595

Living Room / Re: website maker?

« Last post by techidave on May 22, 2010, 08:21 AM »

I cannot speak for DNN but our school uses Joomla.  It was setup for us by our ISP and it for some newbies to web design, it is difficult.  I agree with Renegade that its admin interface is clunky and we sometimes have problems figuring out where stuff is and all the layers involved.

But in the interest of saving money, we will be setting up our own web server and thus this thread has become real interesting to me.  It needs to be Open Source or free and easy to use.

596

General Software Discussion / Re: What's the best software uninstaller tool?

« Last post by techidave on May 21, 2010, 07:43 PM »

Revo Uninstaller has worked well for me!  Looks like they got a new website too!  Check it out here

597

Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?

« Last post by techidave on May 21, 2010, 05:44 AM »

I realize that the original post ask for recommendations and wanted from experience more than reading online reviews.  But for those who are wanting to read an online reivew you can go here or here.

I am especially interested in this thread since I will have a daughter going to school in Dallas, Texas this fall.  Her since of direction is not always the best.

So are the GPS units on a cell phone "less safe" than one made for the car?

598

Living Room / Re: GPS Unit Recommendations?

« Last post by techidave on May 20, 2010, 06:14 PM »

How do these models compare to the gps software on cell phones??

599

Living Room / Re: website maker?

« Last post by techidave on May 20, 2010, 06:09 PM »

Isn't DotNetNuke asp and Joomla is php?  I do not know what the difference is.  I would like something that is easily setup and customizable too.

But this is probably for another thread.

600

Living Room / Re: website maker?

« Last post by techidave on May 20, 2010, 06:03 PM »

Check the page source.

If webmaster hasn't removed it, it may state in a generator meta tag what it is, and what version is running the site.

For example, if it's a Wordpress site, you might find the following in the head of the page:

<meta name="generator" content="WordPress 2.9.2" />

For Joomla, you might find this:

<meta name="generator" content="Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Management" />

-app103 (May 20, 2010, 07:06 AM)

Yes, I did find that "generator" in the page source but the problem was it didn't show up on some sites.  I didn't see anything listed for the dc forum in page source.  But I do see it listed down at the bottom of the page.