WatchMe
Screen Recording SoftwareWatchMe defined a class of software on NEXTSTEP. It created "tapes" by recording the screen activities and sounds of a work session to disk. You recorded a session, explaining what you were doing while you're doing it. When the tape was played back, viewers heard your voice while seeing what you did.
WatchMe had a number of editing features for modifying the recorded cape. For example, you can trim unwanted material off the beginning or end of a tape, re-record or merge soundtracks, specify opening and closing informational screens and chain two or more rapes into one compound tape.
WatchMe was great for creating instructional materials or for documenting your custom applications. It could also be used for making "canned" computer-based presentations. WatchMe tapes could be used by themselves or incorporated into multimedia documents.
Some important uses of WatchMe included:
Creation of Training or Instructional Materials
WatchMe was great for creating instructional or training materials. The instructor records a session while demonstrating and explaining the concepts they wished to get across. Students could later play the tapes back as part of their training. The tapes could be used by themselves or they could be easily incorporated into sophisticated multimedia documents.
Documenting Custom Applications
Using WatchMe, custom applications could be easily documented by simply recording a session during which the application was being demonstrated. When the tape was played back, it's like watching over someone's shoulder as they explain how to use the application.
Making "Canned" Presentations
WatchMe was also valuable in a corporate setting for making canned, computer-based presentations. After recording the presentation, you could E-mail it to the intended viewers or place it in a shared location and notify them of its existence. Co-workers could later play it back at their own convenience.
Demonstrating Third-party Products
Third-party developers could use WatchMe to produce demonstration tapes showing off their applications. Because WatchMe runs for 3 minutes unlicensed, developers could distribute a short demo along with an unlicensed copy of WatchMe for use in viewing it. For longer third-party demos, developers could purchase a "file license" which allows unlicensed users to view a specific file of unlimited length. Contact Otherwise for more details.
Comments From Early Users Of WatchMe
"WatchMe has great potential for educational users! By inserting WatchMe files in other documents, like those created using Edit or Diagram!, one has a simple technique for creating easy-to-use multimedia software and instructional tutorials. This product is a powerful tool for curriculum development using NEXTSTEP," said Bob Desharnais, Associate Professor Biology, California State University LA.
"WatchMe is used here to improve our training of students in computer-assisted journalism classes. Using a WatchMe tape which demonstrates the steps used to log in to remote sites or develop a layout with a desktop publisher is an excellent alternative to paper documentation," said Denise Brinker, Manager of the Friedheim Journalism Center at American University, School of Communication.
"It is "must-see" software. Any user or developer concerned with educational projects will definitely lose out by overlooking WatchMe. Check it out!," said Marshall F. Gilula, M.D., Life Energies Research Institute.
System Requirements
WatchMe requires NEXTSTEP 3.0 or later and runs on HP, Intel and NeXT hardware. For Intel hardware a sound board and microphone was recommended but not required.
Price and Availability
The multi-architecture version of WatchMe 1.2 was now available directly from Otherwise. Pricing was as follows (shipping and handling included):
Single user non-floating license: $110
Floating network license:
Number of users Price per user
-----------------------------------------------------------
1 - 4 $120
5 - 9 $110
10 - 19 $100
20 - 29 $90
30 - 39 $80
40 - 49 $70
50+ $65
A 35% educational discount was given on all prices.
An evaluation copy of ScreenCast could be obtained by ftp from the Stepwise Information Server.
You could also request it be sent to you as a 800K NeXTmail attachment by sending mail to stepwise@stepwise.com with the list of files you wanted in the body of the message:
This evaluation copy ran three minutes per session unlicensed.
You could contact Otherwise for a one month expiring license.
Otherwise
Otherwise was founded August 1992 by Bill Tschumy, former NeXT software engineer. Located in Austin, Texas, the company developed high-quality NEXTSTEP applications geared toward education. Otherwise's first product was ScreenCast, an application for replicating one computer's display on one or more other computers on your network.
WatchMe, ScreenCast and Otherwise are trademarks of Otherwise.
Version 1.0 of WatchMe runs on both NeXT and Intel hardware.
A free 30 day evaluation license was available.
WatchMe would also run unlicensed for 3 minutes, allowing enough time for a quick demonstration of its capabilities.
Otherwise
$120
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