Read this FAQ about Screenshots, Snapshots and however you call them

 

What is a Screenshot Maker, Screen Capturer and such?

 

A Screenshot- or Snapshot Maker is a small program you can install on your computer to be able to create cool screenshots. Such a tool will make a photo of your actual screen and save this "Screenshot" in a usual picture file format like .jpg, .bmp, .gif, .png and others.

 

For what do i need a Screenshot?

 

There are numerous possibilities! For example, you can shoot a beautiful photo of a scene in you favorite Computer Game and share it with your friends, add it to your online profiles or create original graphics for your homepage as well as avatars and wallpapers.

 

If you want to write a tutorial or workshop about something, Screenshot will help you to explain the single steps and make them easier to understand for your readers.

 

You also can make Screenshots of Error Messages and send them to the support.

 

Simply said, you just can make photos of really everything that happens on your screen!

 

Isn't there another way to shoot some photos of my screen?

 

Yes, there is a simple method to create a Screenshot without using a special program. But it's very limited: Just hit the "Print-Key" on your keyboard. This will save the actual view into the RAM of your computer. But you need to open a "New File" in a Graphic Editor (Photoshop, The Gimp) and "paste" the saved Screenshot into it. This is really annoying and you always can only have one single Snapshot in the RAM.

 

Of course you also can use a real camera to make a real photograph of your Screen! :) But you will see, that this is a very stupid method - and the quality will never be good enough.

 

Last not least many Games have an in-game function to create Screenshots. Put in many cases, for example "The Sims 2™", the picture quality is much too poor to be cool.

 

And how does such a Snapshot Maker work?

 

After installing a Screen Capturer, go to its option menu and choose the setting that are best for you. You should be able to set up a save-directory, the picture format and file name. In most cases you can also choose if you want to take a picture of the whole screen or only a single window or selection.

 

Some Applications even allow you to add nice effects to the Screenshot, such as Frames or Shadows.

 

Once after setting up the program, let it run in the background and start the program in which you want to make a screenshot (a game for example). Everytime you hit the "Print" Key, the tool will make a photo and save it in your save-directory. Later you can open these Screenshots with an Editor and do whatever you want with them.

 

You don't have to worry about RAM and such, just make one photo after another.

 

Are there any problems with Screenshot tools?

 

Yes, unfortunately. The better Screenshot Makers are often so-called "Shareware" or just full programs that cost money. They are not expensive, mostly about 30,- USD or less, but it's sad anyway.

 

The industry just realized that Custom-Made Screenshot are so very popular and many tools that were totally free before became to be "Full-Versions".

 

Of course you can get Trial Versions of almost every commercial Snapshot Maker! Some of them even without any time-restriction. But they will automatically add a Watermark to your pictures! You have no chance to remove such a watermark but anyway, a trial could be enough if you don't have professional ambitions.

 

I still use WinSnap 1.1 which was freeware and has no limitations. But this changed with version 2, which is "Shareware" now. If you're looking for the old (free) version 1.1 most links lead to the chargeable WinSnap 2, even when the link says 1.1...

 

*Luckily, the WinSnap License Agreement allows to distribute the program for private use! So here it is, the free download of the Screenshot Maker WinSnap 1.1!

 

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