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Subject:Re: Demo-it or similar software From:The Tech Writer <techwrtr -at- CRL -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 3 Jun 1997 17:58:58 -0700
> I have a few questions. Has anyone used demo-it? If so, what is your
> opinion of it? Is there similar software available? Finally, what advice
> could you give to someone who is creating demos for the first time?
Yes, I've used it. Unfortunately. I wish I had never stumbled upon the
thing. It is really, really bad. It doesn't lend itself to updating (when
your interface changes, for example, you have to go change the screen
caputure in EVERY frame that uses it). It has this 10-second splash
screen at the beginning of every module you make, which cannot be
disabled, even when going from one module to another (which makes linking
individual tutorials/demos really un-professional looking). It doesn't
create .exe files, if I remember correctly...you have to command line a
player program with the demo file as a command line parameter. Their
technical support people are surly, on the off chance you get through.
I think that's about all of my recollection of the program. Granted, it
sounds like it's distributed by a new company, and they've probably got a
newer version than the one I used (it was about 2 years ago when I used
it), but if past performance is any indication of present, I'd steer well
clear of it.
As far as recommending alternatives, you can spend about 2.5 times as
much ($850 over Demo-It! 's $300) and get yourself Macromedia Director,
which is much more intuitive, powerful, easy to learn, and well accepted
by the Internet community. They've even got one of the most widely
accepted plug-ins for putting Director stuff on the web (called Shockwave).
If you (or anyone on the ListServ) want to see something created in
Director, email me privately and I can put something up on my web site
and give you the URL.
-David Castro
techwrtr -at- crl -dot- com
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