Screenshots: The Unappreciated Gem of Modern Computers

"Nothing illustrates like a website," someone once said. So how do you illustrate a website? The answer is a screenshot, also called a screen capture.

Every operating system has a way to capture a screen. Every method has its own costs and benefits. At the simplest level, you can capture the entire monitor, including icons and the system tray. At a more refined level, you can capture only the active window or program. With a combination of keys and clicking and dragging, you can capture just one section of the screen, including any part of a visible website.

From clipboard to file

The act of capturing copies the graphic content to a clipboard or a saved area. That content can then become a separate file in any common graphic format. Once the screenshot is saved, you can insert it into a document, build a montage, or edit it with graphics software. The limits are mostly a matter of imagination.

Tools at every level

There are free programs, built in tools, and more sophisticated packages sold at a price. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Each also has room for creativity and practical use. The right choice depends on how often you capture a screen and what you need to do with the image afterward.