Slideshow screenshots?

[webfork]

A visitor posted to the ResophNotes entry:

Gee... those "slideshow" screenshots that are being used lately for various entries are a pest. I like to look at a screenshot closely to see what the program can do. But with those "slideshows" that can't be stopped, one actually sees almost NOTHING. Better one single picture that one can watch closely than several fast changing pictures whose details one can't see."

I've been doing this for a while (using Riot and PhotoScape) because I prefer more than one screenshot for a program, especially programs with lots of features like Thunderbird and OpenOffice. It takes a lot more work, so if people don't like it I'll switch back to static screens or slow down the slideshow speed.

[joby_toss]

I'd like to see 2 or more screenshots for an app...one might even be a .gif.

[Napiophelios]

I like the little slide shows but I would prefer they proceed a slight bit slower...

[dmg]

I appreciate the use of animated GIF screenshots. I tend to use screenshots as an indicator of the quality of an application rather than any significant indication of how to use it, so having multiple images is always a plus. That said, I think a longer frame duration would be nice.

If someone likes to stop and carefully study a screenshot then they can always either open the GIF in an editor to view the individual frames, or take a screenshot of the screenshot.

[guinness]

Or visit the developers website!?

OC (Original Comment)

Yeah, I know I'm slow. So slow that I probably posted this in the wrong place too.

Best to post on the Forum for a more in depth discussion!

Webfork I for one appreciate the effort of creating these Screenshots, so I say continue. With that entry I counted only 4 ScreenShots with a 2.7 second delay between each. I watched the .GIF image twice (because of the loop!) and had no problem getting the idea of what the application looks like.

Otherwise I would simply research myself or test the application.

There is nothing more demotivating than feeling undervalued.

[dot]

Of course one could go to the original website to see the original screenshots, but then they wouldn't need to get posted here in the first place. IMO a screenshot should give you an idea either of what the program looks like or of how it functions, especially if the screenshots display functions and options rather than the main interface.

For me it's almost impossible to make ANYTHING of those fast changing screenshots, and in the case of the ResophNotes entry, not even after watching the "show" several times. A useful slideshow should have the option to stop it and to progress at will. Even if every screenshot got displayed for a bit longer, I (and others perhaps too) would only nervously anticipate the automatic disappearance of the present picture, especially if details on it turn out to be interesting and would deserve more attention. Maybe, instead of a slideshow that can't be stopped, posting several static screenshots on one page would be an option (or a slideshow that can be stopped).

[guinness]

(or a slideshow that can be stopped).

Now I am confused: http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... 932#p26932. Wouldn't this be slow too?! If a Slideshow was created.

[Ruby]

I like the little slide shows but I would prefer they proceed a slight bit slower...

I agree, but I don't think there should be a fixed time/speed sequence, if the application's interface
is a bit busy/complicated, the screenshot should stay open a bit longer.

[Napiophelios]

I like the little slide shows but I would prefer they proceed a slight bit slower...

I agree, but I don't think there should be a fixed time/speed sequence, if the application's interface
is a bit busy/complicated, the screenshot should stay open a bit longer.

Yeah that's what I really meant

[webfork]

Recognizing a consensus that the screenshots are too fast, I modified a Cintanotes screenshot. The current one is at 2.7 but I changed the delay to several different settings below:

• 3.2 seconds
• 4 seconds
• 5 seconds

Please let me know which one you like best. (Its okay to say "between 4 and 5".)

[dot]

Now I am confused: http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... 932#p26932. Wouldn't this be slow too?! If a Slideshow was created.

guinness, in that post where I complained about slowness, I referred to the slow LOADING of the single screenshots with the special new feature that Andrew had used at the time. AFAIK, there was no slideshow in use then.

BTW, a relatively fast loading, and probably well-known, slideshow that can be controlled (with navigation buttons that appear when you move the mouse to the left or right border of the screenshot) can be seen on the Firefox add-ons website (example). Personally, I still prefer a single static screenshot for TPFC, but if there has to be an automatic slideshow it should be very slow for me , at least five secs.

[usdcs]

The animated GIFs work nicely on my BlackBerry. The 4 second timing suits me.

-- Dan

[I am Baas]

Recognizing a consensus that the screenshots are too fast, I modified a Cintanotes screenshot. The current one is at 2.7 but I changed the delay to several different settings below:

• 3.2 seconds
• 4 seconds
• 5 seconds

Please let me know which one you like best. (Its okay to say "between 4 and 5".)

3.2 works for me.

[guinness]

3.2 or 4 works for me too. But I don't like the "Old Classic Theme" it looks outdated.

[I am Baas]

@webfork
You do realize that you will be the (only) one to update the screenshoots from now on?