Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshot annotationefficiently?
 

Q: Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

While almost all programs perform almost all tasks, the three
critical screenshot annotation tasks that are often implemented
inefficiently a
a) arrowing (should be as simple as click + click + bend ... you're done)
b) texting (should be as simple as click + type ... you're done)
c) circling (should be as simple as click + sweep + click ... you're done)

Other annotation-critical tasks (which most programs do well) a
d) cropping (should be as simple as click + click ... you're done)
e) converting (should be as simple as file-save as ... you're done)

Programs on windows that fail the simple annotation triad test a
- IrfanView, GIMP, MSPaint, Photo!Editor, FastOne, & SketchUP

Programs on linux that fail the simple annotation triad test a
- GIMP, Inkscape, ImageMagick, F-Spot, Viewnior, Krita, Xfig,
- Xara Xtreme, Xpaint, Shutter, Solang, Fotoxx, & Kolourpaint

The only program on Windows that passes that simple test is
Paint.NET; while no program passes that test, unfortunately,
on Linux.

Here is a WINDOWS example: (using Paint.NET)
http://www4.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12745022.gif

Here is a LINUX example: (using Kolourpaint)
http://www3.picturepush.com/photo/a/...g/12745771.png

In summary, what is required for efficiency is:
a) arrowing (should be two clicks plus bending to avoid obstacles)
b) texting (should be a single click and then you start typing)
c) circling (should be as simple two clicks)

Amazing as it may sound, out of the score of freeware image
editors listed above, only one performs all three tasks efficiently.

QUESTION:
Do you know of any other freeware image editor that can perform
those three critical screenshot-editing tasks efficiently?

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshot annotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:13:04 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Q: Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

Are there any non-freeware programs that meet your requirements?

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshotannotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 10:11:13 -0700 Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Q: Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

Are there any non-freeware programs that meet your requirements?

I've tested every freeware program that was suggested, so
I'm not an expert on the payware programs.

However, I would be shocked if something professional,
such as Photoshop or PSP didn't meet the three critical
requirements for annotating screenshots for typical DIYs.

Personally, I don't have any professional programs installed.
Therefore ...
May I ask of the Photoshop or PSP folks these three questions:

Q1: When you text, must you draw a bounding box first?

Q2: When you draw arrows, do you only need to draw the beginning
and end points, and can you subsequently modify the curve as needed
to create dashed lines and to flow, as needed, around obstacles?

Q3: When you draw an open circle, is the task as efficient
as simply sweeping out the desired area?

If the answer to the three questions asked of all screenshot
annotation programs is YES (which I presume it would be given people
PAID for the privilege of ease of use), then those payware programs
meet the three critical requirements for annotating screenshots
efficiently.

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshot annotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:41:34 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 10:11:13 -0700 Jennifer Murphy wrote:

Q: Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

Are there any non-freeware programs that meet your requirements?

I've tested every freeware program that was suggested, so
I'm not an expert on the payware programs.

However, I would be shocked if something professional,
such as Photoshop or PSP didn't meet the three critical
requirements for annotating screenshots for typical DIYs.

Personally, I don't have any professional programs installed.
Therefore ...
May I ask of the Photoshop or PSP folks these three questions:

Q1: When you text, must you draw a bounding box first?

Q2: When you draw arrows, do you only need to draw the beginning
and end points, and can you subsequently modify the curve as needed
to create dashed lines and to flow, as needed, around obstacles?

Q3: When you draw an open circle, is the task as efficient
as simply sweeping out the desired area?

If the answer to the three questions asked of all screenshot
annotation programs is YES (which I presume it would be given people
PAID for the privilege of ease of use), then those payware programs
meet the three critical requirements for annotating screenshots
efficiently.

It seems to me that you have spent an enormous amount of time testing
"free" software, without, apparently, any regard to the cost of your
time. Is it worthless? I don't understand the fixation of things that
are "free"? I believe the old adage that "there is no such thing as a
free lunch".

Why have you not also tested some "payware" offerings? I use Visio for a
lot of the type of markup you mention. It's not free, but I believe it
has a trial version. There is a bit of a learning curve and it doesn't
do everything. ymmv

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshot annotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:13:04 +0000 (UTC), "Danny D."
wrote:

Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

http://jetscreenshot.com/

--
p-0.0-h the cat

Attention new posters. Bewa ACF is under attack by a small number of
trolls who post false and misleading replies to questions here, and run
campaigns of lies against some of the long term regulars in order to get
them killfiled.

These are my recommendations to filter their malicious trollspam

By filtering out messages containing
q34wsk20-at-yahoo.com AND in the "From:" header
and messages containing "ccountrynet" in the path statement you will knock
out more than half or even three quarters of the trollspamming in this group.

I also recommend filtering all crossposts, anonymous remailers, and any
posts with these providers in the path:

eternal-september.org
dotsrc.org
ccountrynet especially this one
individual.net
easynews.com
anonymous

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshotannotation efficiently?
 

On 2013-04-21, Danny D. wrote:
Q: Does any other freeware program do screenshot annotation efficiently?

While almost all programs perform almost all tasks, the three
critical screenshot annotation tasks that are often implemented
inefficiently a
a) arrowing (should be as simple as click + click + bend ... you're done)
b) texting (should be as simple as click + type ... you're done)
c) circling (should be as simple as click + sweep + click ... you're done)

Other annotation-critical tasks (which most programs do well) a
d) cropping (should be as simple as click + click ... you're done)
e) converting (should be as simple as file-save as ... you're done)

Programs on windows that fail the simple annotation triad test a
- IrfanView, GIMP, MSPaint, Photo!Editor, FastOne, & SketchUP

I find that Irfanview does those tasks rather wall, actually.
What do you find wrong with it ?



--
When in doubt, use brute force.
-- Ken Thompson

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshot annotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 16:13:04 +0000 (UTC), Danny D. wrote:
QUESTION:
Do you know of any other freeware image editor that can perform
those three critical screenshot-editing tasks efficiently?

If image editor classification is very important, then try these two (no
screenshot feature; have to use PrintScreen key, then paste from clipboard).

Photo Filtre
Serif PhotoPlus

Otherwise, use Greenshot. A screenshot tool that can do non-eye-candy tasks
for screenshots.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/greenshot/

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshotannotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:20:48 -0700 Jennifer Murphy wrote:

It seems to me that you have spent an enormous amount of time testing
"free" software, without, apparently, any regard to the cost of your
time.

That I've spent an enormous amount of time researching is true.

I've often said the biggest expense, by far, of freeware is the cost
of the testing required. Asking questions helps ameliorate that a bit
because you can take advantage of other people's tests (and they of yours).

But the same can be said of anything else in life.

Take the well-known example of buying a car.

I researched buying an automobile such that I knew all the internal
code names for the vehicles being considered and the costs and
code names for the colors and options (which helps immensely when
talking seriously with the three types of dealer sales people
(lot, fleet, and customer service) so that I used type of salesperson
for what they were most useful for.

Lot salesperson: Use him to test drive (leave your wallet at home!)
Customer service: Use her to locate the exact options and vehicle.
Fleet salesperson: Use them to buy the car at a hundred over cost.

Same concept with freeware.

Use each one for what it does best.

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshotannotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:20:48 -0700 Jennifer Murphy wrote:

I believe the old adage that "there is no such thing as a
free lunch".

While that is true, I do not believe in the old adage that
you get what you pay for.

Having taken economics 101 (micro and macro), it's clear you
pay what other people are willing to pay for.

You're competing with the rest of the world - many of whom may
not have done the research that you've done - so they're making
bad decisions (perhaps).

Why have you not also tested some "payware" offerings?

I've been using freeware since the early 1990s, and I've concluded
there are few programs most ever have to overtly buy. One is
Microsoft Office - and even then, it's only because everyone else
uses it and because the replacements (open office, star office, etc.)
are not compatible.

Another is a tax program.

But, for photo editing, I've never needed a payware solution.

Of course, I'm not CREATING content from scratch - I merely edit
screenshots - so the needs will dictate the software.

Does any other program (windows or linux) do screenshotannotation efficiently?
 

On Sun, 21 Apr 2013 11:20:48 -0700 Jennifer Murphy wrote:

I use Visio for a lot of the type of markup you mention.

I've used Visio at work for creating huge flowcharts.
It's a nice program.

But, as you said, it's not free (and trialware doesn't count as
it will expire or watermark the results).

The question is whether PSP and Photoshop (or Visio) do this:

A) Do they just text without having to draw a bounding box?
B) Do they arrow just by clicking two points & bending as needed?
C) Do they circle just by sweeping out the desired area?

If PSP, or PhotoShop, or Visio can do that (which I hope they do
since people PAID for these conveniences), then they meet the
simplest requirement of annotating screenshot for DIYS (which I
write a lot of).

If not - then that would be sad.