The process consists of several steps. First, you transfer the video source material to your Linux machine (video grabbing). Next, you edit the video, possibly mixing it with other video and audio material, and then render it into an output video file. If your goal is to upload a file to the Web or share it with your computer-savvy friends, then this is the end. Sometimes, however, you want to create a DVD suitable for conventional DVD players. In those cases the final step is authoring the DVD.

Many different programs are available, and they all provide a different set of features, options, and output formats. When choosing, consider the degree of control you want to have over your video resolution and whether the video is intended to work on non-Linux operating systems. Common open source output formats, such as FLAC and Ogg Theora, work natively on Linux but require software and plugins on proprietary operating systems. User interfaces also vary greatly; some applications are nothing more than an icon in the system tray while others depend on large interfaces with many options.

I tested three popular screencasting applications to see which is best for everyday use. I evaluated the user interface, the quality and variety of output formats, and the ease of installation and obtaining the required dependencies. I tested the programs on a MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo with 4GB of RAM, dual-booting into Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron.