These days, it's the Usability, stupid

[zridling]

Two must-read articles whose content must be understood by all, if you haven't already recognized it:

#1: It's the user experience, stupid
#2: The Friendly Face of Business Software

Basically, it comes down to: "When the software works and it's easy, it catches on fast within companies [and end users!] and quickly builds a grassroots following." And I'm sure you could list a handful of programs that fit this description:

— Find and Run Robot
— CCleaner
— EmEditor
— FastStone Image Viewer
— 7-Zip archiver
— Pixeur by Veign
— Skype
— WinAmp?

You get the picture.

[Redhat]

Agree completely, nice links - shall read in a bit! Thanks

Also, It's funny I use most of those apps you mention EmEditor, FARR, FastStone, CCleaner, Skype and 7zip!

[allen]

I use a lot of those apps -- and they have grassroots followings -- but I don't think for the reasons described in all cases.  For instance, once glance at the options for F&RR or Screenshot captor and a your average cubicle dweller would ask when they get their training course on the new software

[zridling]

Agreed. I listed Find and Run Robot because it doesn't seem difficult to use right out of the box, but not necessarily so for Screenshot Captor. I find it an advanced screen capture utility, not a basic one. Screenshot Captor just does a lot of stuff.

[jgpaiva]

Agreed. I listed Find and Run Robot because it doesn't seem difficult to use right out of the box, but not necessarily so for Screenshot Captor. I find it an advanced screen capture utility, not a basic one. Screenshot Captor just does a lot of stuff.

True, i think farr was well designed. A good thing about it is that to use it, nobody needs to read the help file! And still, it's a great powertool, when well configured can do almost everything. (i say almost, because hopefully, v2 will be the one able to do everything ).
As for SC, i thins it works the same way, if you use only the basic functionality, you hit printscreen and it saves the screenshot to somewhere, it's that easy. But if one wants to use the other features, one has to learn a bit...