Demo Builder 6

'Demo Builder' is an application that can be used to create tutorials and presentations by taking screenshots of active applications or by creating a movie from a series of images.

The program is based on capturing screenshots of your desktop (full screen or active applications) and converting them into movies. You can choose between six video resolutions, where the highest is 1024x768 and the lowest is 200x280. You can add narration, balloons, notes, animated text, shapes, cursors, and other things to these movies. These can turn the movies into attractive demos or presentations.

You can edit each frame using the tools included. You can also add images from files or clipart. Buttons and a 'click zone' are also available in the editing process. You can edit each frame by using the timeline and synchronize the add-ins to the original movie.

The output files can be saved in the application's own format as projects or they can be exported as Flash movies, image files, MS Word documents, as well as standalone files for Windows (EXE), Macintosh (HQX), and Linux. To export files to MS Word documents, you need to have the specific MS Office component installed. The exported file's destination can be your local disk, a FTP server, or an e-mail client.

The interface looks good and it's easy-to-use. The 'Help' section is well documented, thus I can say that this application is very easy to learn how to use.

Pluses: You have spelling options, you can add watermarks or logos to your movies, and you can protect them with a password.

Drawbacks / flaws: Standalone files exported for Mac were unusable.

In conclusion: An interesting tool for creating demos, presentations, or tutorials. However, I didn't test it on games.

version reviewed: 5.10