Demo is a term that has its origins in a concept in the Greek language that is usually translated as “people.” In this sense, it is a compositional element that allows us to create different words in our language.
It must be established that in Antiquity demo was used as a term to refer to each of the administrative constituencies that existed in Athens . Each of them had a series of essential elements for coexistence and its functioning such as an agora, which was the assembly that was responsible for possessing the necessary power in matters of civil registration, police, worship or even finances. .
In the same way, it should be noted that the demos was the basic constituency, since it later expanded and gave shape to others of higher rank such as the tribes, the tribes or the cities.
Some terms formed with the compositional element demo
Democracy , meanwhile, is a political system that contemplates the participation of citizens through voting in decision-making. Democratic states, therefore, are governed according to the will of the majority.
Demography , for its part, is the analysis of a human community through statistics . The discipline works with quantitative data to study the characteristics of a society .
The concept linked to software
It is possible to find another use of demo, not as a compositional element within a compound word, but as a noun . A demo, from English demonstration , is a limited version of software or a musical disk that is used as a preview or sample of the complete work.
In the case of computer programs, demos usually include fewer functions or tools than the final version of the product. The demo of a video game , for example, may include three or four levels, while the full game offers the possibility of completing one hundred levels.
The development of a video game demo is much more complex than many think; In general, it is not simply about cutting the content, but requires a specific design, with certain changes that make the experience more coherent and that manage to convey the soul of the complete product, despite being drastically reduced. This is not so difficult to achieve in action games, but it is in genres such as RPG or adventure.
Features of a demo
A demo usually presents the beginning of a game, although this is not always the case; Sometimes a portion of the story is offered that does not reveal many secrets, but contains enough elements to give a clear idea of the mechanics and characteristics of the characters and the worlds they must explore.
Generally, in a demo there are references to all or many of the parts of the full game that have been locked, to tempt players to buy it once they have passed the trial. It is worth mentioning that a demo is not the same as a beta version, and the difference lies mainly in that the former faithfully represents the graphics, sound and gameplay of the final product , while the latter can be released months or even years before the project is completed.
The notion in music
In the field of music , the demo is usually a recording that a singer or a band records to present to a record company with the intention of getting a contract. In some countries, this demo is also known as a mockup .
Precisely in relation to the musical field, we also have to say that in Spain there is a contest that tries to give a new opportunity to young talents and that uses the term in question in its title. This is the Demo Project, which is developed by Radio 3 and which basically amounts to a contest in which new artists present their demos in order to achieve a professional opportunity.
Thanks to the possibilities offered by the Internet with social networks such as YouTube and Myspace , currently not all artists who want to see their names at the top of the international charts take the trouble to prepare a demo as was customary. until the 90s. This does not mean that it is not necessary to work hard to be noticed, but rather that the demands have changed.
Nowadays, record companies do not always have to make big bets when hiring new artists, since they can search among those who make their works known through the Internet and look at the success they have achieved for themselves. . Musicians who share their creations with the community do not usually demand money in exchange for full versions, even if they sell them through services such as iTunes. When they prepare a demo, to present to a production company or for a contest, for example, it is also common for them to ask their followers for all possible support.
Within the musical field, we would also have to establish that “Demo” is the title of a magazine that deals with said cultural field. It is originally from Peru and began its journey in 2005. Its periodicity is bimonthly and it addresses all types of interviews, articles and musical reports related to both the latest groups and singers that hit the market and those that are already part of the History.