Sometimes when one expects it least!
Last week, I posted a question to the STC discussion board on LinkedIn as to whether I should purchase Adobe FrameMaker 10 and/or RoboHelp 8. Recently, I’ve seen some tech comm job listings mentioning them. “Is it a good idea to buy and learn these programs on my own?” I asked. My graduate program provides significant discounts for FM and RH—about 66% off retail—but they’re still pretty expensive. But I’d be willing to spend a few hundred bucks to learn something useful. Might have to wait until next semester, when I have a little more cash, but I could do it.
A few days later, I got a message from Joel Carrillo of MadCap Software offering to help me out with a Flare license. Wow! I was flabbergasted and grateful. Flare is really powerful and becoming more and more widely used; I’m very excited to learn it. Along with Flare, I’ll also be learning CSS and XHTML.
Thank you for your help, Joel. MadCap Flare rules, and so do you!
Hey Rachael! Have you heard about jing as an alternative to Camtasia? Where I am teaching the IT peeps haven’t responded to my request (made three months ago) to see what access we have to Camtasia, and I heard on the WPA-listserv that Jing is a free version. I’m just wondering if one of my CSU colleagues knows anything/has heard anything/has tried it. Thanks!
Hi, Molly! I don’t personally know anyone who’s using Jing; the only folks I know using it are on the WPA-L. Matter of fact, I’m the only rhet-comp person I know using any kind of screencasting software. People in the instructional technology department are using Camtasia, CamStudio, etc.
I tried CamStudio (freeware) last year, but found it far too unstable for what I was trying to do. Every time I recorded something longer than 90 seconds, CamStudio crashed my system. So I sucked it up and took advantage of the educators’ discount for a Camtasia 7.0 & SnagIt bundle direct from the manufacturer (TechSmith). It’s really paid off, and was worth the $$$.
Hope this helps. I’ll give you a shout at your e-mail address, as well.