Poll: Do You Prefer Written or Video Content?

Poll: Do You Prefer Written or Video Content?

on Oct 22nd 2010 with 27 comments

We often see comments on this site asking us to post more video content. When we post video content however, we frequently receive comments from readers telling us that they prefer written content. Today, we’ve decided to put this to a vote. Do you prefer written or video content? Feel free to elaborate in the comments.

 
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  • http://www.mayfielddigital.co.uk/blog/ David Cole

    Maybe I’m awkward, but both would be good! To be able to view the video and follow the written notes at the same time can work really well. And then there are times when written words just work best.

  • Ryanlynx

    Please continue to publish written posts. Here are my reasons:
    – I find it sooo much easier to follow a PSDtuts when steps are shown with graphics and text.
    – That way you can follow one step, and then refer back to what next step is.
    – It also helps as you can easily jump back to a previous step you might want to quickly refer back to.
    – In most video tutorials I have watched, the explanation is often less clear then if it was typed out.
    – Graphics shown in written tutorials are clear and it is easy to view and compare the effects used, the before and after view, and see details.

    Just my two cents on the topics.. :D

  • choise

    where is the “both” button? :O

    • http://jiewmeng@gmail.com Jiew Meng

      I’ll like both too, I find 1 complements the other, If if I can only choose 1, I’d say Video

    • phil

      It really depends on the tutorial or content itself. I think you should handle it like you do right now.

  • http://twitter.com/dpencilpusher Dapo

    Written posts (w/ images) require less bandwidth and hence loads faster than video. Also one doesn’t need a flash plug-in. Thanks

  • http://supergeekery.com John Morton

    The reality is that different people learn better by different methods of learning. Check out http://vark-learn.com. They’ve got a short test (it’s free) that you can take that tries to show you how you personally prefer to learn. Interesting stuff. VARK is an acronym for the different methods of learning: Visual, Aural, or Read/write or Kinesthetic. (Kinesthetic is sort of “learning by doing”.)

  • Stevie

    I would prefer both, actually! One is a good learning tool with detailed explanations (video) and then we have the resource to return to for reference with tips, suggestions, and a summary of what we got out of the video (written).

  • http://johnathanbarrett.me Johnathan Barrett

    I’d like both, when I’m seeing something being done with software unfamiliar to menvideo is great, also being able to listen to an explanation as the author is doing the thing is a lot clearer but I also like written versions to go along with it with even less of an explanation and more of a detailed overview.

  • http://shaneparkerphoto.com Shane Parker

    Ideally, it should be both, but I prefer video if I have to choose between one or the other, and here’s why:

    When an author does his tutorial via video, there are tons of little “Oh, and while I’m thinking about it, let me show you how I do this” type of situations that simply don’t happen in written tutorials. Plus, it helps to see what’s happening in motion instead of just seeing a screenshot of the results.

    My two pennies, anyway.

  • Simon

    come on.. video, its easy to see what the person do and you can follow it if you have 2 screens

  • http://ilovecolors.com.ar Elio

    Most of the times I’ve been at tuts+ have been after googling for something, and all those tutoriales were written. So from the simple point of view of finding certain content, I would go with written content.

  • http://www.bigsalescoach.com Ashwin

    I have a preference for Written tutorials over the Video ones.

    Written tutorials are easy to follow and I can bookmark & frequently come back to it, if there is a need for reference. Also, viewing the Video tutorials has a bandwidth constraint.

    Having said this, I have heard from my own blog readers that they love Video Tutorials.

    So my suggestion – Go for both with every tutorial and let the reader choose what they want :)

    What say?

  • Roberto

    Video! But with a HTML5 versión to be able to watch it anywhere in my iPad or iPhone. Male sense, doesn’t it? I mean… MOBILEtuts, aren’t you? ;-)

  • Denis Oleynik

    Hello everyone.
    I got one little idea for you! As this site is a mobile part of your well know tuts+ network, it would be very nice if you could optimize it for viewing from mobile devices! For example this effect of “load as you scroll” doesn’t work with iOS safari, so it is impossible to see the pictures in you tuts. And for the video – it is also can not be played on iOS. so talking about mobile tuts there is no way (written or video) to prefer, because they both doesn’t work!

  • http://www.pauleds.com/ Paul Edwards

    I personally prefer the written tutorials over the video ones.

    When I want to learn something new I prefer to start with the finished, fully working version of what I’d like to understand right in front of me, and then dissect it so I can see how it works. MobileTuts (and NetTuts) does a great job with the Quick Tips and Essentials tutorials, for example, as I can just copy/paste the code and see it work (or not).

    Once I’ve understood “how” it works, I’ll then refer to the commentary to discover “why” it works, and what design decisions or alternatives were considered along the way and the reasons as to why they were dismissed in favour of the final choice.

    Video tutorials, while sometimes useful, are often difficult to refer to for future reference. They’re too focused on the exact task at hand and often difficult to re-purpose in a different context, making them less useful to the reader long-term. With a written tutorial it’s easier to take from it what you need, if only a snippet of code or understanding.

    Video tutorials can also often be overly long (20+ minutes), a little too meandering and often feature the author apologising for errors and bugs that they’re trying to fix along the way. I find the latter particularly frustrating when I can see the glaring error and I’m powerless to do anything about it… each and every time I watch it. Surely these things can be edited out?

    On the whole, though, I love all of the Tutsplus tutorials. In terms of best practice, writing quality, scope, working demos and usefulness they are among the best the web has to offer. Great work and thanks!

  • Raimonds

    Personally I prefer Video, but written are not bad either. Someone should make tutorials on Symbian development

  • Aaron

    I am a visual learner. I find it easier when I can watch someone do what I am trying to learn. I agree with a couple of your other comments above that video is great for a first run through. Then written text comes in handy for going back so long as it has pictures to follow along with as well.

  • David

    I prefer written tutorials over video. I think the reader sets the pace in a written tutorial, and the author sets the pace in the video. It’s also easier to go back and refer to a specific section of the tutorial.

  • http://www.jlapitan.com jlapitan

    i agree with the others, both video and written contents are better

  • http://www.barrygee.com Barry

    Hi.

    I too like both, video is great for visualising the process of tutorials and I find a little quicker and easier to follow. That said, I like the option of clearly seeing the code and being able to copy and paste it into my own dev project. A combination of both video and source is best for me.

    The site is a great resource none the less.

    Barry.

  • http://www.mobilesinternet-vergleich.at Valentin

    Depends on the Topic.. I prefer video tutorials for Photoshop and written tutorials for Coding.

  • http://ashitvora.com Ashit Vora

    Video of course.

  • http://www.andysnotebook.com Andy Davies

    Problem I have with video is is demand I watch it at a certain pace and it’s almost impossible to scan and skip sections.

    Written stuff can be scanned, sections can easily be skipped etc.

    Both have their place but written is my preference.

  • http://twitter.com/gemmaweirs Gemma

    I prefer written content because I’m deaf so it’s easier for me to follow a written tutorial than to follow a video. If you’re going to publish video content, PLEASE for the love of God, provide a transcript or a complementary article/tutorial. Thanks.

  • Tony

    I personally learn better from the videos

  • http://ronnieswietek.com Ronnie Swietek

    I find written easier because I dont have to keep pausing the video to catch up :)