I'm gonna play devil's advocate here - dude's show would have been just as sorry if he was using SSL or Itch. The real problem was his lack of quality in the videos, and lack of effort by letting VDJ attempt to do the mixing for him, IMHO.

I'm not a VDJ fan or supporter, but seriously - if you had a killer DJ running a top-spec rig with VDJ, actually mixing live, and using quality videos, the only difference you would have been able to see would have been the video transition FX.

I used it for a little while to do video, before I got an MBP and 57. I didn't like the GUI or the buggy vinyl timecode in that particular version, but I hear that it's better now. I did manage to play every weekend for a couple of months without any major issues, though. In fact, the video output was CLEARER than VSL in some cases.

Bullshit

Ive seen some heavyweight dudes using VDJ, (while their source files are reputable)
their shit was on point....videos looked uber clean, and while Im not a big controller supporter... from across the room, Id never know the difference what they were using.

the problem is, when you CAN immediatly tell what they are using, where their sources are from....

Theres plenty of guys like this using Serato too.
let's face it, serato; becuase of all its hard work and supprt from the lil man to the big man
has become the "stamp of authenticity" for alot of guys coming into DJ'ing.

kinda like 1200s back when dual deck cd players dropped.
They became the "oh... he is a real DJ... he is using records" divsion point

so, now (just look at us) if your not using serato.... you just an amature
Ive certainly done it.
while I try not too.... Its hard to take someone serious who you have never heard play,
are new to the scene, and show up with an IBM Thinkpad and VDJ6 plugged into a Guitar
Amp...
Generally speaking you dont see that too often in the serato/traktor community

Like i said, there are some very very reputable guys using virtual DJ
and like Ive said on Video Report... Virtual DJ 8 looks like its gonna be a huge release,

what happens is, from the Pro side.
Professionals, on the whole do not want to use the same products as amatures.
Perfect example.
no exaggerating.
my wife offered up my services for a party on a saturday night for 200...as a favor
I couldnt do it, and sort of as a "you think its so easy, you do it" move I gave her a copy
of my Hard Drive, she used her 2008 Dell 2.4Ghz 4gb ram pink computer and this:
www.bestbuy.com

showed her a few basics, it comes pre-mapped.
threw the speakers in the car, with the usual supplies and said good luck.

3 hours later I get a phone call from her.
"They want me to do every friday here for 250 a night."

her DJ experience was LESS than one hour total time spinning ever.

and I think thats why alot of people look at its reputation the way they do....

Classic!

Although for me that just highlights that 95% of being a good DJ is playing the right tune at the right time. And that's kind of instinctual. Some people can just do it.

To validate my last comment @ cue, dude I answered 3-400 support tickets a week along with chat support for Atomix VDJ for a long while. I can assure you and anybody else that is wondering that there is no way to know a legal from cracked copy of the software.
Its just as stable in fact.

More often its the dudes system that isn't properly prepared that causes the problems resulting in a crash or hang/freeze, not altered code.

Now that said, as Josh stated yes you can see inexperience loud and clear and sure this may very well be the case.
However, you still can't rate a dj on your own scale of skills.
There are many successful dj's who make TONS of money (if you want to base success on that) as "entertainers". While I have my own opinion of these types of dj's, they still get the job done and become successful in their own way. For every rocking club dj there are two "entertainers" who satisfy the groups they work. [ and they're not working for $150 a night and a bar tab]

Every single one of us are on different levels, some try harder than others, some don't give a shit and just collect the $ for their lack of effort. I personally HATE clown shows, but those guys again are leaving their mark and are successful in their own way.
I do mostly private work, not club djing, and compete with the clown shows and for every client that calls and some do want a clown show. There are an equal number of clients that want straight up music properly selected and mixed. So its a much broader group of people we satisfy as dj's than just the 2am slobering drunk sex starved jerk offs you don't want to be on the road with.

I take the time to explain this to people when they call so they understand what I do and identify what they are looking for. I find more and more who want a dj who is just that, not a clown show, not a whole night of hollering on the mic and "its all about the dj" etc...

I do not draw lines in the sand and degrade these dj's because I know there are as many people who need a pro active dj to drag people out of their chairs rather than find the music that does it for them.

As for software, hell my first video shows were Winamp with the dual player plug in but it was free and I was learning. The last thing I am going to do is knock someone down for trying regardless of what software they use of gear they have.
All that shit changes in time as they become successful and generate more money, so keep a close eye on the field you compete in.

Many VDJ users start off as college users doing frat parties and have -0- $ to work with, you gonna knock them down too?
Some of those guys rock and become something in time because they love the sport, same goes for the kids that are 9-13 years old and rock their school dances becoming the shit by the time they are seniors, try competing with that and getting the $$$ over some kid that hasn't spent anything vs. what I've invested.

It's time we as dj's stopped kicking the ladder out from others who try and focus on raising our own game to a level that protects us and the future.

There isn't a single person here that popped the vag with skills, remember that.

Your joking right.. Please tell me your joking.. And Is she gonna take the gig?

the funniest part.... not only did I know the DJ she was gonna potentially oust.
but she was OVER cutting him by $50.. and she wasnt all dolled up or anything
I told her, be ready to stand in 1 spot for 5 hours.... so out came the jeans and sneakers.

she didnt take it, she was just so excited that someone validated her.
she does have a musical background, plays piano....can spot a shitty dj at the drop
of a crap needle.

I just read this to my wife and she cracked up laughing... But hey. She has learned the difference between a good dj and a shit dj as well

lol. one hour howtodj speech from JC + some crappy controller + virtual dj = priceless

But see when people saw the video's playing they automatically though oh Dj Que spinning.

Cuz i'm the only dj doing video in theses bars.

But they say me and saw the equipment and was like thats not que.

Dude had a table and a chair and was gone 90% of the time.

Eating, drinking, eating, again, & smoking outside.

All while his shit played like a pre programed ipod or jukebox with video added.

That could surely fuck it up for me.

Believe me when I tell you my brutha.. it would hurt you one bit cause when you do what you do the club owners will seek you out... they aren't that crazy

wouldn't

"bull shitters only make make my bull shit seem like sunshine & roses"

I had some hills to get over when i first started doing video.
pre conceived notions thanks to guys like the one Que ran into.
almost like a bad stereo type...

but now I relish the idea of these clowns.
cause it really allows what Ive learned from friends, embraced with technology
be looked apon as some out of this world shit by club staff and owners.

you just have MAKE SURE they know there is a difference

That was deep