All posts by James Moore

ScreenFlowing

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BT-1

Somewhat embarrassingly, my favorite piece of software on the Mac is ScreenFlow. I started using it a couple of years ago, when the program was sold by Vara Software (who were the purchased by Telestream in 2008). ScreenFlow is a screen capture and editing tool. I use it several days a week.

I updated to version 2 last week – one of those pleasant updates in which the program works well, looks largely the same, but does things better. Version 2 appears to be more stable, has improved editing functions, and has the option to export direct to YouTube. I’m happy.

One thing that I hope is improved with the update is the ability to use the BT-1 bluetooth web cam to record. I record every presentation that I make – and every class that I teach – with ScreenFlow. I had been using the Vado HD for filming (and then importing the footage in during editing), and hoped to use the BT-1 to speed up the process. For reasons yet unknown, the video from the BT-1 freezes in ScreenFlow after a couple of minutes. Part of me thinks this might be a Snow Leopard issue – things seemed to work before I made that update.

Windows 7 and Ubuntu 9.10

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Last week I upgraded the operating system on my netbook, and used the opportunity to install Windows 7.

The upgrade to Ubuntu 9.10 went without a hitch –  a desktop alert informed me that there was a more recent version of the OS available, and then I let the computer do its thing. The only downside was a long (4 hours) wait for everything to download from the Internet, and then overwrite the existing system.

Slightly more hoops were jumped through to install Windows 7, but nothing terribly onerous. 7  pales next to OS X, but it is an improvement upon XP and Vista. It is brightly mediocre with one notable exception – the Media Center. MCE is now a pleasantly integrated part of the operating system, making the computer a powerful DVR. I don’t understand why Apple has nothing better to compete with. Frontrow and theApple TV are solely neglected, the iMac screams for an integrated television tuner. I wonder why Apple does little here.

Upgrading to Ubuntu 9.04

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Last week I took the plunge and upgraded the operating system on my HP2133 to Ubuntu 9.04. I did not notice much in the way of a difference afterwards. This is a good thing.

Installing Ubuntu 8.10 had been fairly painless, but getting video and wireless card drivers to work effectively took some time and research. However, the recent upgrade was merely the case of clicking a few buttons and waiting for files to download and install. This was far easier than any Windows upgrade I have experienced.

Perhaps this is the year that Linux finally gains acceptance from average computer users. Ubuntu is free, easy to install and straightforward to use. Why pay for a Windows license?

I still prefer working in the OS X environment, and there is no way I am ditching my Mac, but every day I am getting to like Ubuntu more and more.

Twitter Video

Internet, Internet Marketing, Mobile, , ,

Twitter

I posted a (relatively) short video on the use of Twitter. The video was created for my colleagues at work. It is not exactly my finest hour – I kicked this out as quickly as I could. I had edited the screencast two time previously, but the exported results were missing sound and audio. I would like to think the earlier efforts were works of genius that were unlucky not to see the light of day, but that would be a stretch. Anyway, I hope they are of use.

Messing about with Mobile Blogging

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Even though iBlogger and BlogPress are fine programs I probably will not use then most of the time. Since I am using the iPod Touch I can only upload when I have WiFi access (and getting photos onto the iPod is unreasonably painfully). Which brings me back to the Blackberry. A device that allows me to upload and update the blog from pretty much any place with a decent signal.

I looked at BBMetaBlog and Mopress but could not get either to work adequately. Email looks to be the easiest option at the moment. All of which means that this site will soon be littered with blurry cellphone shots from the road.

And here I almost threw my laptop in a rage

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ScreenFlow

ScreenFlow

I use Screenflow to record lectures, presentations, and screencasts. Normally it is a program I love and recommend. But not today…

I upgraded Screenflow (which may be the problem) and everything that I recorded and that used screen and video actions was wasted. Somehow the editing process inadvertently merges the video assets and renders the final export unusable.

Several hours were lost today. I hate having to repeat unnecessary work.

Slowly starting to cool down and hoping that this is an aberration.