Features

In some respects, ScreenToaster is very similar to Jing, one of our screencasting tools. Just like Jing (and most other screencasting tools), ScreenToaster allows you to choose which parts of your screen you want to record, add subtitles, and then host those videos online. ScreenToaster, of course, also allows you to embed these videos anywhere you want to.

Using ScreenToaster is very easy. Once started, you simply start and stop the recording with a keyboard shortcut and easily add voice-over recordings and subtitles afterwards.

One issue with ScreenToaster that might be a showstopper for some is that it can't record audio while you are recording your screencast. Instead, you have to record your narration afterwards and ScreenToaster will not record any audio that is playing on your computer while you are recording your video. The reason for this is probably technical - ScreenToaster relies on Java for the video recording, but uses Flash for the voice-over. We prefer to record the narration while doing a screencast, as it makes timing your tutorials and demos a lot easier.

Also, as of now, your videos are only available on ScreenToaster itself and you can't download them to your desktop or convert them to any other file format.

Verdict

The developers are planning to add a lot of the missing features to ScreenToaster in the future. For now, if you just need a simple solution for recording a quick screencast, ScreenToaster performs exactly as advertised and is definitely worth a try.

• Peepcode - Peepcode offers a collection of professionally-produced Rails programming screencasts that sell for $9 a piece. These are some of the best reviewed screencasts in the Rails community.
• Railscasts - Ryan Bates, one of the most prolific screencasters in the Rails community, has put out over 100 free screencasts over the past 14 months. He has a great voice, reminiscent of Bob Ross, and a background in video that makes for excellent production values.
• Ruby Plus - Over 75 Rails screencasts since last December? Bala Paranj is trying to give Mr. Bates a run for his money! (Then again, screencasts on both sites are free.)
• Pragmatic Programmer - Coders have long loved the Pragmatic Programmer's line of web dev books, and this month the company added screencasts hosted by well known personalities in the development community.
• ShowMeDo - A collection of screencasts from around the web (including some from sites mentioned on this list) focused on free and open source software. Ruby, Python, and Java have the most tutorials on the site, but there are also screencasts covering graphics and productivity software.
• TechScreencast - Like ShowMeDo, this site aggregates technology screencasts from across the web on programming, web development, database, graphics, security, and other topics.
• DimeCasts.NET - A new site offering .NET screencasts that are under 10 minutes each.
• ScreenCastsOnline - One of the most well-known screencast sites offering tutorials for how to use OS X, Mac software, and the iPhone/iPod. 140+ tutorials for $49 per 6 months -- also available on DVD.
• ScreencastCentral - Over 400 software learning screencasts, as well as over 1000 more aggregated from video sharing sites like YouTube. $7.95/month.
• The Screencast Blog - Screencasts on a wide variety of technical topics. Unfortunately, not updated very often these days.
• Demo Girl - Molly McDonald, aka Demo Girl, has created hundreds of screencasts over the past 2 years, mainly demoing web apps. She also does custom work for anyone looking to have a pro create a screencast for their app. Demo Girl absorbed Screeniac in March.
• Screencasters - Inkscape (an open source Photoshop alternative) screencasts can be had at this site.
• Video Professor - You may have seen their late night infomercials offering screencast DVDs for free. Video Professor sells DVD and online screencasts for popular Windows software.
• Screencast-o-matic - A web app for creating screencasts, this site also has a gallery of screencasts created using their application.
• FreeScreencast.com - Like Screencast-o-matic, this site offers free software for making screencasts and provides public hosting once they're recorded.

We know this list isn't complete, so please share your favorite places to find good screencasts in the comments below. If you want to try your hand at making one, Spread Firefox is holding a screencast contest right now.

I love RSS, probably more than anything on the web. If you're not familiar with the concept, see my very old definition of RSS and my almost-as-old post on teaching people about RSS.

Not every page on the web publishes an RSS feed, though. Thus the need for these wonderful screen scraping tools. I've written about a variety of tools you can use to create a feed for a site or page that doesn't have one. Sometimes, though, you've got to pull out the big guns. In those cases, it's time for Dapper.

Dapper is a company founded in Israel, now venture backed and was named in the aforementioned Wired article. It is the sweetness.

Dapper will let you pull data from almost any web page and get it in a wide variety of outputs, including RSS, email, iCal, a Google Gadget, CSV and Google Maps. Is that incredible or what?

Let's let the video do that talking. I have an awful cold (it's almost better, Mom!) so please excuse the very rough voice. I made the following screencast using JingProject, setting up an RSS feed of search results in Del.icio.us for articles tagged from ReadWriteWeb.

Clicking on the image below will open up another window so you can view the 4 minute video full screen.

If you're as excited about Dapper as I am, you should check out DapperCamp, a two day free conference all about Dapper coming up in early February in San Francisco. IBM and Mindtouch are sponsoring the event and Mitch Kapor is keynoting it. It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun.

Take that, Wired Mag ambivalence! Really, though, you should read that Wired article - it's a good one that discusses some issues that are going to be very big once more people figure out how exciting data portability is.