Tell, Don't Show

I was going to be cute and start out obfuscating my point, but I'm just not up for it. So here goes:

Hey Internet, if I want a video tour, I'll ask for it.

Okay, that's not true. Hey Internet, chances are good that there is a better means of communicating that information than a video. That's better.

See, right now, everyone seems to think that everything needs to be a video. Ask a question? Get a VIDEO ANSWER! Looking for features? Get a VIDEO TOUR! Interested in what happened in the news? Here's a VIDEO!

Well, videos are great for some things. How-to, for instance. Or illustrating movement. Basically anything animated. And I believe that videos of news events are important, just as I believe that video documentaries can be a great way to learn about subjects. I genuinely believe in good documentaries. There are a few.

But frankly, if I ask a question in text, I want an answer in text. If I'm looking for a features list, I want a list, not a video tour. And if I'm looking to catch up on the day's news, I'll read it.

Why? Well, for one thing, I can skim a paragraph of text in about 10 seconds, whereas that same text read aloud takes much longer. And if we're talking about a large amount of information, I want to be able to skip to the parts that I care about. Can't do that with a video. Plus, I can read it faster than I can hear it even if I'm reading all of it and reading it closely.

Plus, what if I were deaf?

In that vein, because I'm not but there are many people who are, how about offering transcripts of videos which contain valuable information that you seem to feel is worthy of video format? How about even just a summary of what the video says? Too often are you taken to a video which has nothing but a title without any explanation. I don't care to watch videos most of the time. News in particular; I don't want televised news programs because in half an hour, they give me the same news I could get in ten minutes with no commercials.

So please, Internet, remember that you were originally designed to transfer text. Remember that not everyone thinks your brand-spanking-new-ness is the greatest. Remember that there are deaf people who can't necessarily hear what your video is saying (and forget about trying to read lips in online videos what with the frame decimation and lagging). Stop giving us videos as the only way to get the information.

And then improve the quality of the information you give, video or not. Because a lot of it is garbage.