openlp vs. opensong?
I've checked out a number of applications - both commercial and free/open source for digital projection in churches and was particularly impressed by openlp and opensong. Could someone help me understand why one might want to utilize one application over the other?
I guess I'd mainly like to understand from the openlp perspective why there should be a separate digital projection software project from opensong? Or why opensong should exist as a separate project? Do they serve different audiences or different ideologies, etc?
Any thoughts in this area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Dave Mackey
Comments
Disclaimer: It's been a few years since I used OpenSong so my knowledge will be out of date, and I'm also biased towards openlp! :-)
First off, the best way to find out the difference is to install them both and see what works best for you!
OpenLP tries to offer the complete experience from the laptop operators point of view. It can contain all your media: powerpoints, songs, scripture, videos, images and audio with the aim to never leave the application and have single click access from one item to the next.
OpenSong seems to be more worship band orientated with projection alongside. You can add chords to yours songs, and print out guitar chord sheets and songbooks as well as projecting songs and scripture. When I looked at it, it didn't have video or powerpoint support, I don't know if this has changed.
Both have a different user interface, with OpenSong separating the "Set" creation and the "Presentation" modes. OpenLP keeps them together in the one interface which allows for easy changes to the service plan whilst the service is in progress.
I think in time both programs will get closer together in terms of features. However since the interface in both programs is significantly different, there is unfortunately not much scope for the to exist as a single project. We are however working with the lead developer of ChangingSong (OpenSong rewrite in python) to help try and keep similar file formats for exports/imports where possible.