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ViewletBuilder2 by Qarbon
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Review by Hewie Poplock
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I am always interested in ways to easily show someone how to use a program or features of a program. I was recently
introduced to Qarbon's ViewletBuilder2. It is easy to use and allows you to create a captured computer session easily. I frequently make presentations to my computer user group. I have been using
screen capture programs and placing them in PowerPoint® slides to explain certain features in a program or in Microsoft Windows®. To post a completed presentation on line has had limits, as to
bandwidth, installed software, and experience of the person trying to view it.
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ViewletBuilder2 makes the entire presentation and viewing on the web simple, yet professional looking. You can even write a
complete viewlet to a CD to allow others to use it with their Internet browser program.
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To obtain the freeware version, just download the 10MB file from Qarbon's website. You can easily convert it to the
Professional version by purchasing a license and inserting the required information. The single copy price is a bit steep for the individual user, but for a trainer or software support person, the return on
investment can easily be justified. The single license is $999.
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I did all of my testing using the freeware version.
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No special viewer needed
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The best feature of creating viewlets is the ease of placing them on a website with a link. Once the link is clicked, the
viewlet plays. No plug-in is needed. It does require Java to be installed and enabled, but almost all internet users can play the viewlets with no additional programs or settings. When a viewlet is
compiled, the program creates a ZIP file which contains all of the parts needed to run the project. This makes it easy to send someone the complete viewlet. Once it is unzipped, it can be viewed through
most Web Browsers such as Internet Explorer and Netscape.
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Manual on line are downloadable Viewlets
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Qarbon created their manual in a series of viewlets which make it more of a tutorial than a manual or reference guide, which
most programs provide. These tutorials can be viewed through the Internet or downloaded and viewed locally. This cuts the learning curve considerably.
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Use of the pause button for captures
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To create your viewlets, you capture screens as you go through the procedure that you want to demonstrate. Simply clicking on
the Pause key captures the screen and stores it. You continue through the sequence, clicking as often as necessary to get captures. Once you are finished, you go back to the captures and edit, adding
comments and notes.
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Showing the cursor arrow moving
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In the finished product, the viewlet has the appearance of cursor movement and buttons or links being clicked. This makes it
appear that you have captured a live session. Changing the position of the cursor is fully controllable.
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Editing thumbnail view – inserting, copying, rearranging, adding
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When you are in the thumbnail view, you see each of the captured slides and can remove, add or even rearrange their
order. If you are dissatisfied with some slides, you can recapture the screens, inserting the new captures or replacing some.
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Editing slides easy
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When adding notes and comments, you have choices of fonts and colors. There were some extra steps in the process that takes
some clicks that I found a bit cumbersome and more time consuming, but on the whole it was extremely easy. Deleting slides was simple, but you can keep them, and choose not to include them in the final compile.
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Adding sound and other graphics
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Although I didn't add sound or other graphics, it does have the ability. I did want to create some colored blank screens
for transitions and this was not an easy task. I actually had to create a blank screen with the desired effect and capture it.
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Support through Message Board
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The technical support is done through public message boards. I had a problem with my computer crashing and couldn't reopen
the viewlet that I was creating. I left a message on the support message board and had an answer the next day. I also read through many of the other messages. I found others who had a similar problem,
as well as many ideas that I could use in creating better shows. I think the interaction of the Qarbon tech and the other users works well on their message board.
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Size matters
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When you set up to capture, you have a choice of capturing 640x480 or 800x600 or if your current resolution is higher,
1024x768. I wanted to make the screen captures as large as possible for someone to view on an 800x600 screen. I chose 740x525, which turned out to be a bit bigger than the screen will show when you add in
the menu on the right and in the freeware version, the banner at the top. Viewers of my first project have to scroll, because of the size that I chose. In order to change the screen size, I would have to
recapture the entire project.
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My first project
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You can see my first project, "How to use Yahoo! Groups" in a series of 5 viewlets at http://www.hewie.net/tutorials/ . I am pleased with the overall outcome of the project. I think if I used the registered version of ViewletBuilder2, the size of the screen would be fine. If I were conducting tutorials for software in a business, or wanted to show users how do accomplish certain tasks, the Professional version would be a worthwhile investment.
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ViewletBuilder2 by Qarbon <http://www.qarbon.com> is available as freeware or a professional version. Viewlets
created with the Professional version are bannerless. Additionally, in the Professional Edition, you can add authoring information and even add a logo that will appear on the first frame of the viewlet when it's
played back in a browser. The freeware version allows you to post your completed project on a viewlet Farm, a space provided by Qarbon. The Professional version assumes that you will have your own site to post
the session.
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