XYplorer Beta Club

Obviously many of the features on XYplorer are obvious but - as with most powerful applications - they only scratch the surface. Howabout someone experienced with the application creates a video of say the top 10 or 20 features?

I'd watch it... I reckon a few other new users would too.

Just started today and am thus far impressed with this ugly little application. I'm positive that once I've given it a few weeks - and assuming it reveals itself to me (easily) I may even take the plunge and spend a penny on it.

Nice job guys, very interesting piece of work.

Choja

Choja wrote:Just started today and am thus far impressed with this ugly little application. I'm positive that once I've given it a few weeks - and assuming it reveals itself to me (easily) I may even take the plunge and spend a penny on it.

Hi and welcome to the XY forums!
The concept of a "movie" has been briefly discussed before here, but never got anywhere for (as I recall) a couple of reasons, such as:

• Who would record it? Voice is an issue

• Format and software needed to produce it?

• Bandwidth & storage space for it

• Need to have a clean basic install to show it, and a clean set of files to show

So...in the interim, we created the wiki, which is a way to document it in more detail without Don having to do the work.
But also know that I've used XY for 2 1/2 yrs and am still learning how to do some things...

BTW, why did you call it 'ugly'?

Hi, thanks for the welcome...

>>>Hi and welcome to the XY forums!
The concept of a "movie" has been briefly discussed before here, but never got anywhere for (as I recall) a couple of reasons, such as:

Who would record it? Voice is an issue

Hmmm, I'm not sure about your resources/relations with other techies but creating a video is pretty simple. Adobe Premier Pro to cut and edit, there are myriad programs to record actions on the screen. You store it on YouTube... plenty of videos for Photoshop/Dreamweaver etc live there... Now the voice. That's more difficult because it needs to be clear and friendly, experienced even.

Tell you what, you organise the former and I'd be happy to help with the latter. I'm a journalist. Be happy if you provide me with a script.



So...in the interim, we created the wiki, which is a way to document it in more detail without Don having to do the work.
But also know that I've used XY for 2 1/2 yrs and am still learning how to do some things...

Understood, but to capture a wide audience you need an easy to follow guide. You want money for this project, you need to make it accessible. After a few hours of use, it's definitely a great program with some awesome features but you could easily show killer tricks that would be much easier to explain with a short vid.

BTW, why did you call it 'ugly'?

Because it is ugly. It needs a skin to spruce it up. But that's not important right now. All the best programs start out a little odd looking. Look at Azureaus (now Vuze)... looks great these days and I gather its market share is on a rapid rise.

Don't get me wrong chaps, this program is special, for sure. I like it already... just a few ideas on the things that occurred to me.

A good video might well be a worthy investment. I don't have the time nor the experience needed (nor the voice, unless you go for a German/Cologne accent). The stress is on good because a bad amateurish video would not serve the purpose. I would even pay somebody to do it. However, as the program keeps developing (and video technology and expected standards as well!), a new video would have to be done about each half year I assume. Too much for a one-man enterprise.

@Choja: Anyway, which software would you recommend to do such a video with?

Choja wrote:BTW, why did you call it 'ugly'?
Because it is ugly. It needs a skin to spruce it up. But that's not important right now. All the best programs start out a little odd looking. Look at Azureaus (now Vuze)... looks great these days and I gather its market share is on a rapid rise.

Well, I guess beauty or lack therof is in the eye of the beholder! Obviously, at this point, I'm now biased, but compared to about a half-dozen other similar pgrms, including some of the market leaders, I found XY to be the most attractive and easiest on the eyesI was looking for one that resembed Win Expl which to me is just fine...a couple of the other ones to me were SO unattractive that I can't see how anyone would like them.
BTW, I use the "visual style" of 'XY classic'.

j_c_hallgren wrote:BTW, I use the "visual style" of 'XY classic'.

Baah, now that's ugly!

A good video might well be a worthy investment.

Absolutely because it really would hook in users who might not otherwise embark on a program such as this. If you can demonstrate some "killer" tricks/tips on a 5 - 7 minute video, you'll reap the rewards.

I don't have the time nor the experience needed (nor the voice, unless you go for a German/Cologne accent). The stress is on good because a bad amateurish video would not serve the purpose.

Agreed, you'd have to do it professionally but that's really not difficult with the right software, a great script and plenty of enthusiasm.

I would even pay somebody to do it. However, as the program keeps developing (and video technology and expected standards as well!), a new video would have to be done about each half year I assume. Too much for a one-man enterprise.

I'd urge you to have a look at some of the teaching videos on YouTube. For a really pro demonstration of how a good video should look, have a peek at Lynda.com

@Choja: Anyway, which software would you recommend to do such a video with?

I routinely use Premier Pro for my video projects. It's simpl(ish) and you can get great results fast. Avid is also great but much more complex. Mac users prefer Final Cut Pro which has to be the simplest to use but who the hell uses a Mac!!!!

Keep me in the loop on this, I'm happy to give whatever advice I can. All beta development should be supported if the product is worthy and what you've created really is.

BTW, How do you pronounce it? X Y Plorer or Zyplorer?

Thanks for video advice! I will look at it when the time is there.

Choja wrote:BTW, How do you pronounce it? X Y Plorer or Zyplorer?

How do you? I say "X Y" or sometimes X Y Plorer (but I started to dislike the name; I wished I would have taken some cool animal name -- too late!), or also Zyplorer which is more fluid in the mouth.

Well XY is prounounced Zy in English... and yep, sounds better.

btw: there was a long discussion about the pronounciation a few months ago.

http://www.xyplorer.com/xyfc/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2282

(If you want to read more about the various opinions )

Yup, video demo of key features would be cool. I once thought I could do it, but I don't have any experience doing this. Like Don mentioend, paying a professional would be the best way to go.
And videos for the 9 topics mentioned in the XY7 tour would suffice.
Hey Don, the tour has a great visual appeal. Nice job.

Choja wrote:Absolutely because it really would hook in users who might not otherwise embark on a program such as this. If you can demonstrate some "killer" tricks/tips on a 5 - 7 minute video, you'll reap the rewards.

admin wrote:I don't have the time nor the experience needed (nor the voice, unless you go for a German/Cologne accent).

I'd suggest maybe a series/set of 1-2 min ones as alternative, each covering a topic, so that you could pick and choose which to look at...and those lengths would thus be more compatible with sharing even via YouTube.

I was thinking...for initial vers, would one even need audio? I've seen some that simply use overlay text on screen, so you are seeing the "audio"...wouldn't be compatible for those who are blind, but offset by those who are deaf.

I have bought software in the past because of the demo video so it does have great appeal but if done badly it can have the opposite effect.

How about instead of going down the video route, provide a presentation approach with slide screens and a few written words describing the steps between slides. This gets round the voice bit and the video software - a slide produced for certain tasks might be a simpler solution?

j_c_hallgren wrote:

Choja wrote:Absolutely because it really would hook in users who might not otherwise embark on a program such as this. If you can demonstrate some "killer" tricks/tips on a 5 - 7 minute video, you'll reap the rewards.

admin wrote:I don't have the time nor the experience needed (nor the voice, unless you go for a German/Cologne accent).

I'd suggest maybe a series/set of 1-2 min ones as alternative, each covering a topic, so that you could pick and choose which to look at...and those lengths would thus be more compatible with sharing even via YouTube.

I was thinking...for initial vers, would one even need audio? I've seen some that simply use overlay text on screen, so you are seeing the "audio"...wouldn't be compatible for those who are blind, but offset by those who are deaf.

series/set of 1-2 min: yes, I'm for it!
text instead of audio: yes, totally okay (more people can read english than hear, and one could even do some french* version). Plus some zen-ish sitar-twang in the background maybe?

* apparently the only people on this planet that don't understand english (SCNR)

graham wrote:I have bought software in the past because of the demo video so it does have great appeal but if done badly it can have the opposite effect.

How about instead of going down the video route, provide a presentation approach with slide screens and a few written words describing the steps between slides. This gets round the voice bit and the video software - a slide produced for certain tasks might be a simpler solution?

People are getting used to video. In fact a lot of "videos" on youtube are actually videotized slide shows.

I'd love to do a video (already some visual ideas grow in my revolutionary mind) -- I just lack the time... ... I'll try out that video soft -- if it's fast and simple I'll give it a shot.