Online Tools vol2 January 2, 2008
Posted by Lance in eTools, tools, web2.0.add a comment
Originally this post was going to be on graphic editing, but I have just come across what could be a very cool tool. Post Christmas and New Year, I have been trying to catch up on my RSS feeds while dealing with all the things that the Real World seem to throw in the way.
It was while reading through Scott McCleod’s blog Dangerously Irrelevant that I came across a post on Kwout (apparently pronounced “quote”). This little tool allows you to take a screen shot of any webpage:
looking forward via kwout
The thing that makes this different to most screen captures is that the hyperlinks remain active within the image.
I’ll be honest here; I haven’t played very much with this (the above image is the only one I have made), but am already seeing any number of uses, especially in “how to” guides.
Time to go play …
edit: hmm. Defintiely need to play a bit more: the links in the above image are supposed to be active. Not sure what I did there.
Online Tools vol1 November 30, 2007
Posted by Lance in photos, tools, videos, web2.0.2 comments
This one seems to be the topic of the moment: screen casting software. A lot has been said lately on this topic (for some great discussion on the merits of various products and their uses, take a look at Michele Martin’s Bamboo Project and Sue Waters’ Mobile Technology in TAFE).
If so much is being said, why am I jumping in here? Simple really – graphic work is something that I am reasonably comfortable with - not so much the video side of things, but I am not totally without experience. Finally!! I am not the total novice.
The other reason that I am jumping in here is that the aim of this series of posts is to look at products that I hope to implement. Screen casting is one that I have already used (albeit only in the last two or three days).
So what am I using? I started with Auto Screen Recorder, but jumped from there to CamStudio, which I really liked: it is simple to use and produces a quality product (and as an added bonus, it is free). Last week Leonard Low posted on his mobile learning blog that tech smith were offering Camtasia Studio 3.1.3 for free, so of course I jumped in had a go of that as well.
Now I have to say that I love it! It is a little more involved than CamStudio, but if you have a passing familiarity with MovieMaker, then the edit feature will present very little issue and a little experimentation will see you well on the way. This is also where Camtasia has an edge over CamStudio: the ability to edit within the package.
Using Camtasia for the first time, in under half an hour I had produced a 50 second video, with text annotations that will replace a seven page “how to” document.
I may have become a little enamoured with this product: over the course of the day, on top of the day-to-day routine, I put together three other quick videos; another “how to” and two for a demonstration next week where I am not sure I will have internet connection. The following are the demonstartion videos - apologies for the poor quality, but in the interests of download time, they have been saved in .wma format (smaller file size than .avi), but they will give the general idea.
baccarat interaction example 1
baccarat interaction example 2
If truth be told, I have spent a fair amount of time looking for other videos that I can make.
Definitely having a little too much fun here.
edited 4th Dec 2007: video upload.
2 Months and Counting November 21, 2007
Posted by Lance in Starting Out, blogging, tools.5 comments
I’ve been sitting here for the last two weeks thinking that I really should write something here: 6 post in 7 weeks. Hardly what I would call a committed attempted at getting involved in the whole blogging process, especially when you consider that all 6 posts were written in the first 4 weeks. Now math ain’t my strong point (and after that phrase, apparently neither is English), but that means that I haven’t touched this in nearly three weeks.
I know that commitment and tenacity are required to get into the flow of things, but the simple reality is that I had nothing to say. Now don’t get lulled into a false sense of security here: that point is not intended to imply that I now have something to say. If that’s the way you read it, then as Wesley said to Indigo, “Get used to disappointment”. (Sorry, we watched The Princess Bride with my niece over the weekend).
I have been torn (resisting the temptation to hum; annoying tune stuck in head now! Not happy!) as to whether I should write something for the sake of making a post, or I should hold true to my belief that if you have nothing to say, stay silent.
What’s that? Do I hear someone yelling “Sell Out!”? Well actually, no. This post is not just for the sake of posting. It is for the sake of posting as well, but not just for the sake. Think of it more as an introduction.
An introduction to what? More pointless and senseless rambling? Well actually, more than likely, yes (why stop now?).
Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to look at any number of new tools (new to me anyway – apparently some of them have been around for quite a while) and I have had the “kid in a candy shop” sparkle in my eyes: so many to choose from.
I have been looking at things with an aim to incorporating into our training packages, and the time has come. Its time to choose (or at least start thinking seriously about it). So I’m thinking that I will use this forum as a space to ponder out loud how I am going to do this: hence the introduction point (I know, it took a while, but at least I got there).
So strap yourselves in kiddies, we’re in for a wild ride!! Or possibly a quiet meandering stroll? It could go either way, but the smart money is on the latter.
