The thing I always find amusing about discussions of this nature, both on forums and YouTube comments, is it seems people are always being forced into watching videos they don't enjoy.
Even on my tiny YouTube channel I get regular comments about my videos being boring, so don't farking watch them.
They have the guy who supposedly designed the thing and that cool schematic view/animations, he explains the circuit, but that part could have been separate video.
Steven Bellettini (I hope I got that right) is crazy good at animations. I'm sure he is the one to blame for all the animation stuff. He likes flash so I'm guessing that it's all flash.
He's kinda weird.
I know this a bit of an old thread but I just got acquainted with GeekGroup videos. This Chris Boden guy seems somewhat knowledgeable about stuff but is also lazy and uninformed. I have seen him:
- Hammer the tip of a screwdriver with a hammer in between batteries
- Use a hammer on the head of another hammer!
In fact, using tools the wrong way is how new tools get invented
That kind of logic is fine if there is truly no other way to remove something. However in those examples he was trying to remove batteries from a UPS. He completely ignored the screws on the case and grunted and groaned for five minutes, potentially damaging his tools in the process. He was more like an ape trying to open a puzzle box with brute force than a man with skill gently coaxing it open.
I'm really glad Dave doesn't do videos like this
all they do is assemble the kit.
They have their place, but for most people it's neither educational nor funny. They have the guy who supposedly designed the thing and that cool schematic view/animations, he explains the circuit, but that part could have been separate video. I don't want to watch this guy trying figure how to bend leads on components or solder or which component is what. But I know there might be people who want to watch that. Every other part of their videos seems good quality except Chris Boden.
I'm really glad Dave doesn't do videos like this
all they do is assemble the kit.
I'm really glad Dave doesn't do videos like this
all they do is assemble the kit.
They have their place, but for most people it's neither educational nor funny. They have the guy who supposedly designed the thing and that cool schematic view/animations, he explains the circuit, but that part could have been separate video. I don't want to watch this guy trying figure how to bend leads on components or solder or which component is what. But I know there might be people who want to watch that. Every other part of their videos seems good quality except Chris Boden.
You are aware that the particular video you link was for a purely instructional series, yes? I assume if you got to the third one, you watched the first where that was made clear. If not, please forgive the assumption. It was made with those who may have never touched anything of the sort before in mind. Something we did in lieu of printed instructions. The point of the series was to show step by (possibly painful, for the more experienced such as yourself) step of how to assemble a kit that we are producing for fundraising.
You are aware that the particular video you link was for a purely instructional series, yes? I assume if you got to the third one, you watched the first where that was made clear. If not, please forgive the assumption. It was made with those who may have never touched anything of the sort before in mind. Something we did in lieu of printed instructions. The point of the series was to show step by (possibly painful, for the more experienced such as yourself) step of how to assemble a kit that we are producing for fundraising.Teaching bad practice is worse than not teaching anything at all. I can already see beginners giving up on soldering because it's "too hard" and "nothing comes out right", because they try to put your terrible soldering practices to use.
You are deluding yourself if you think that the video you made was good.
I kind of agree. I see the point of him learning as he goes just like the viewer. Not my cup of tea, but...
Since it is for beginners, though, a bit more attention to detail would be lovely. "Shockley diode"? Not bothering to double check part numbers thought wrong? Come on...
The point wasn't to teach perfect soldering technique, and nowhere in this video series--there are three of them there so far and you're all only referencing the latest one where they don't cover the fact that that video was maybe Chris's second time soldering--does Chris claim to be good at it. It was to show how to build our kits for the polytonal musical tesla coil. Chris is not in this video as "the expert" on them. That honor, in fact, belongs to Paul Kidwell, who appears with him, and who developed the boards. Chris's entire role in the video, and in many of our videos in fact, is to be the student. He asks the questions, and sometimes does the stupid stuff. His function in this video was well served. It showed that even someone who knows nothing about the process of building these kits CAN actually do it without prior knowledge (even if their first tries may be "bad" in result).
Please watch the first video, if you have not, and see that Chris in fact admits on camera that he has never really soldered before. http://youtu.be/7q2mRUKPGZU
If you would like a video on proper soldering technique, we'd be glad to do it. What suggestions do you have for the important aspects we should cover (other than having a seasoned veteran teach it...that's sort of a given )?
-Explain the correct order in which the components should be soldered (so people don't start with soldering relays and then bitch when they have to mount small resistors next to them)
I know this a bit of an old thread but I just got acquainted with GeekGroup videos. This Chris Boden guy seems somewhat knowledgeable about stuff but is also lazy and uninformed. I have seen him:
- Hammer the tip of a screwdriver with a hammer in between batteries
- Use a hammer on the head of another hammer!
It's his UPS/Hammar/Screwdriver if he wants to smash things with a hammer why does it matter?
Sometime it's faster to use the wrong tool, and infact - in those cases it's common to have a multiple tools so you can dedicate one for being used the wrong way. That way you can use it any way you need and also prevent anything important being ruined.
Side cutters are a good example. You have a really good pair and a cheap pair which you use when you're worried the expensive pair might get damaged because your cutting something a bit oversized.
In fact, using tools the wrong way is how new tools get invented
That kind of logic is fine if there is truly no other way to remove something. However in those examples he was trying to remove batteries from a UPS. He completely ignored the screws on the case and grunted and groaned for five minutes, potentially damaging his tools in the process. He was more like an ape trying to open a puzzle box with brute force than a man with skill gently coaxing it open.
Sure, who am I to say what kind of tools he uses? But I watched him and was screaming "Remove the screws!". I've watched other videos of his and most of them are OK. Perhaps I don't like him because he's so painfully unfunny, I don't know.
May I ask:
1) what rules you need to play by?
Entirely too many. Please keep in mind that it's not just me and a camera anymore, there's an entire production team involved. The days of shooting a video in the afternoon, editing in the evening, and posting overnight are long since gone from the main channel (though I do still do the blogs myself). I have to appease the Board, the video team (I have a director, and she is mean as hell and throws things at me, she also denies me food, help me, please), sponsors, etc. The videos on the main channel are in a state of growing pains right now as we bring our professionalism up significantly. You're about to see a lot of very different content from what you're used to on here. Some of it will take us back to our early days, some of it will be vastly superior to what we've done so far.
2) who is imposing those rules?
Me (I do get a vote around here), the Director, the staff, members, viewers, sponsors, foundations, the Development team, the PR team, the legal team and on occasion the dog.
3) why do you think you need to play by them?
Because I want to make a difference. I want to leave a legacy. I want to change the world. I'm not just doing YouTube videos for fun, this is a small (albeit very important) part of a much larger overarching enterprise. We operate the largest Makerspace in the world (and the oldest, open since 1994). I'm not just an idiot with a camera anymore, I'm an idiot at the tail of a multimillion dollar non-profit. This is why I don't get to have a blue mohawk, or swear, or carry a gun, or set dumpsters on fire, etc. I have to be professional. Some days I even wear a tie.
On the Comments thing, well, our commentators are likely very different from yours. We pass about 80% of them. The 20% or so we don't approve are ones that are derogatory (we have a lot of females around here, and some dudes are either very mean, or very creepy), or just plain stupid. Comments that are not positive or productive, we delete. I have no problems with people hating us or having a differing opinion, but that doesn't mean that they get to thrash on me on my dime. If they want to hate us, they can make their own videos on their own channel. It's a free internet. The ones that get the most cranky are the ones that rage on us for not teaching jesus, the ones that get pissed when we won't give them Moose or Liz's email/phone numbers/bra size, and the ones who want to tell us that our cameras/lighting/audio sucks. I assure you, we know it sucks, and we're working to do better. They want to bitch about it, but they don't want to donate to help get a new camera, or better lights, etc, they just want to bitch. Decisions are made by those that show up; I have little use for trools, and for those that only want to piss and moan. We're here to work, to make a substantial difference in the world. I support anyone who wants to help inspire people (It's why I like Dave ), but I have no use for whiners. That's why we moderate comments. If it costs me viewers, well if they're that shallow as to be offended, and they can't find one of the 20 other ways to interact and be heard by myself and the staff, then they aren't people I want as viewers anyways.