I’ve been trying out a new tool recently – the Windows Vista Snipping Tool.For most of what I do it’s a direct replacement for Jing. Jing does a whole load more than the Snipping Tool – it’s just that I don’t use those other features very often.

Having said that, there are a few difference between them even for a basic user like me:

• The Snipping Tools starts a lot faster than Jing on my device.
• Jing provides more sophisticated annotation capabilities – these include text and arrows, whereas the snipping tool is just highlighting and freehand drawing. I don’t often annotate.
• Jing provides a mechanism for capturing menu’s – something I’ve been unable to find in the Snipping Tool. Something i often want to do.
• Jing runs all of the time – but you have to start the Snipping Tool each time you want to use it. This is both a positive and a negative thing. i don’t do that many captures so don;t really want something running all of the time.
• They are both free – if you have Windows Vista.

An introductory video from Microsoft:

Windows Vista Demo: Snipping Tool