Do you hate videos as much as I do?

[John Schreiber]

It seems like every time I want to learn something about a new product or pick up some piece of information, I have to watch a video about it. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but often videos are just people talking about something which could have been written down.

I can scan a written article, but if there's information in a video, I've got to listen to it at the speed it was presented.

Sure, some things are best presented in video, but I think it's overboard now. The most annoying is when I'm trying to figure out some Office 2007 feature, and the information only seems to be available in a video.

[Bob Rufener]

John, I couldn't agree with you more. I think a lot of manufacturers are putting their manuals and guides on CDs-probably for cost savings. There are some tools and my measuring device for checking squareness on my table saw that I don't use often. I'd like to just open a manual to check it out to refresh my memory rather than going upstairs and viewing the video.

[David Epperson]

Probably the most annoying video I ever saw was the one about how to hook up your VCR. Of course you had to have the dang thing already hooked up to view it.

[Dewey Torres]

I could see both points of view:

Sometimes it really helps me to see demos. I see what you mean though about referencing things in a video.

When I need an answer fast the last thing I think of is "hmmm, I'll go watch that video"

I recently I bought the INCRA LS for my router and there is no way I could have learned it without the video.

SO end the end it's a give and take for me considering
type of application
type of information
circumstance

[Don Bullock]

... but often videos are just people talking about something which could have been written down.

....

I even got a video with my new TV showing how to plug it in and change the settings. Most of the information wasn't in writing.

Hope this isn't too political: I find it strange that written directions come in a multitude of languages, but the videos are all in English.

[Ben Rafael]

I hate videos.
I prefer books. It is a pain in the rear to take a video in to the shop. A book you can leave open to the page you want.

[Doug Shepard]

I hate videos.
I prefer books. It is a pain in the rear to take a video in to the shop. A book you can leave open to the page you want.

Amen. Plus I can never figure out how to dog-ear fold the corner of the DVD so I can find things again in a hurry.

[Mike Henderson]

I dislike videos also, mainly because it's hard for me to control the pace of the instruction. I'd rather have something written with pictures, like a book, a magazine article, or a web site. I can skip ahead, or spend more time trying to figure out what's going on. With a video, it's all one speed.

The ONLY time a video is superior is if there's some procedure that you just have to see executed - where a still picture won't do. But there's very few of those.

Mike

[Chris Padilla]

I think it all depends on the topic and one's level of understanding. I figure most think that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

I happen to have a TV/DVD/VCR combo box in my shop so that I can watch such things. I still haven't gotten my Drill Doctor working correctly despite watching the DVD a 100 times.... That one just isn't flying for me and so I have several dulled bits still waiting....

[Robert Parrish]

I hate the product reviews that make you watch a commercial before they starts!

[Ben West]

Some of the "instructional" videos that come with products are absolutely worthless. I'll never forget the 45 minute video that came with my riding mower...I'll never get those 45 minutes back!

But, I really enjoy and learn a lot from, for example, the videos on the FWW website. And, I have a great Lonnie Bird dovetail video that does a much better job of showing a novice how to do the process than any article ever could.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Different people learn in different ways. Some need to hear it, as in learning to play a saxophone. Some need to see it like the way we learn to drive a car.

I found the easiest way to learn to use Corel Draw (graphics software used to run my laser cutter) was to buy a CD/DVD with text, examples, lessons and 6 hours of videos to refer to.

Imagine reading 'separate 5 egg yolks" in a cook book. Without seeing your mom do it, what would it mean to you?

Videos are OK, but as you noted, a good clear set of instructions are invaluable too.

[Paul Geer]

Well, I don't hate videos... but what I read sticks in the head much better .

[mike holden]

John,
I am with you, I dislike videos intensely! Make me feel I am playing a game!

Give me a nice piece of paper with pictures I can study, paragraphs that I can reread until the knowledge sinks in and I can progress to the next, something I can take into the workshop and follow, step-by-step.

However, to give video it due, there ARE instances where a video is helpful - I have recently started turning and seeing how a skew chisel should be presented to the work is valuable. Turning is an active process - dovetails are not.

Mike

[Mitchell Andrus]

Turning is an active process - dovetails are not.

Mike

Perfect examples!!!
.