Screentoaster Introduction

Before Web Communication I had never heard of Screentoaster. I have been a Youtube enthusiast for years. With the help of this site I found Screentoaster holds comparable attributes to Youtube. Screentoaster is a site that allows individuals to watch and record videos for individual use. These videos captured and uploaded onto the site vary in their use, much like Youtube, where the individual is given free reign as to what they want to upload to the site.

Individuals who use Screentoaster use it primarily to create and share videos consisting of educational tutorials, demos, training videos and lectures. Screentoaster is more directed to educational purposes whereas if you are sitting on Youtube trying to find a video for a specific action, you may get distracted at the latest "funny kitty" video posted or searching for the catchy song you just heard on the radio.

Although it is a positive to be compared to Youtube, there also come negatives to being compared to Youtube. Screentoaster may find it is harder to get people to use their site because Youtube is known globally as the free internet site to watch and post videos for free. Although Screentoaster is a free website to join and use, the individual interested in uploading a video onto the site must create an account before uploading a video. Individuals new to the site can watch other videos but once they decide to upload a video he or she must create a username and password.Although Screentoaster is targeted more towards individuals using it for educational purposes, a person may find it easier to post it to Youtube, especially if that particular individual has a Google account. It makes the process of joining yet another website easier because the individual will not find it a hassle to create another username and password.

Another downside is that the internet user must have a webcamera connected to their computer or installed in order to upload videos or create a screencast. Without the perks of a webcamera it is difficult to become an interactive member on Screentoaster. Internet users must also have the latest updated version of Java before being able to upload videos.

All in all, I like there is another website specifically for the use of creating and sharing videos, with specific emphasis on tutorials, lectures, and demonstrations of targeted products. I often find myself on Youtube trying to find videos of "how-tos" but end up getting distracted and search for songs or videos my friends have uploaded. Screentoaster will keep me on track when it comes to deciding what website to use when it comes to educational purposes.

After reading about Screentoaster, look above to the two Screentoaster screen shots. The image further to the left is the home page, with an arrow signaling where an individual logs in and out of the site and also where interested individuals can create their (free) username and password. The second image (on the right) is the registration page. This page is where the individual fills out information and creates the username and password, giving access to upload and watch others videos.