Create Screencasts and Quick Video Captures with Jing (Totally Free)

Jing, a new project by TechSmith, is a tool that allows you to quickly capture video or an image from your computer and share it with others, such as project team members or customers.

After you capture images or video with Jing, you click a Share button to quickly upload the capture to a web host, file directory (e.g., SharePoint), or Flickr. Within seconds Jing gives you a URL to share with others. Jing is a cool, easy-to-use tool, and it can have a big impact on IT project teams in the areas of technical support, quality assurance, and development.

To demonstrate Jing, here's a quick example. Let's say you're documenting a project and you suddenly have an idea to enhance the usability. But you know how developers hate to read long explanations when they could watch a movie instead, so you Jing it.

http://idratherbewriting.com/jing/2008-02-08_2225.swf

Or let's say that you also provide support for the applications you document, and someone sends you an email asking how to do a task. Instead of writing out a long, tedious procedure, just create a quick jing.

http://idratherbewriting.com/jing/2008-02-08_2310.swf

Or suppose you're documenting an application when you notice a bug, but it's kind of hard to explain, and someone really just needs to see it. You can't call over the entire team, but you can create a quick Jing and send it to everyone.

http://idratherbewriting.com/jing/2008-02-08_2319.swf

It's often easier to create a jing than to compose an email.

Ready to get started with Jing?  Check out this 16 minute screencast I did that explains how to get up and running with Jing.

Additional Resources

• Jing Video Tour
• Download Jing

var so_1940061764 = new SWFObject("http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog_assets/bootstrap.swf","fm_bootstrap_1940061764","601","581","8","","","","",""); so_1940061764.addParam("scale", "noScale"); so_1940061764.addParam("salign", "TL"); so_1940061764.addVariable("thumb","http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog_assets/images/autostart_jing.jpg"); so_1940061764.addVariable("content","http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog_assets/screencasts/autostart_jing.swf"); so_1940061764.addVariable("autostart","true"); so_1940061764.write("so_targ_bootstrap_1940061764");

// ]]>

By the way, I write more frequently on my blog at www.idratherbewriting.com. You can subscribe to the feed by clicking the orange RSS buttons in the sidebar. I'd love to hear from any Israel readers.