Reasons Why Video Comments Will Work

I can see video commenting working in limited domains, but as a general format for comments, they're way too inefficient. The reasons this guy gives are valid points about advantages specific to using video, but they do not make the case for why video comments "will work". The advantages of video won't outweigh the advantages of text, because text is so much faster to absorb: I can skim through multiple comment threads as quickly as I could watch a few video comments in one thread.

I remember seeing these old videos of computer interface researchers demoing audio/voice interfaces, one being a kind of virtual secretary which understood voice commands and told you about your latest emails and voicemails. It all seemed so novel and exciting at first, but eventually it dawns on you that the novelty will wear thin, and how much faster it would be just to use a visual/text-based interface. This is why Apple invented Visual Voicemail for the iPhone: random access for voicemail messages, and it's way faster deleting things visually rather than having to wait for audio prompts.

Video commenting is yet another unfortunate example of people mistaking novelty for utility. This guy is clearly way too invested in his invention to properly assess the disadvantages of using video.

Reason #1 that they won't work:

They take much longer to create than blasting out a bit of text.

Reason #2 that they won't work:

They take too long to watch. I can't think of the last time I watched TV News. I'd much rather scan NYTimes.

I'm skeptical that video comments will work, for all the obvious reasons: they take too long to read, they take too long to create, nobody really wants to see squidgy guys talking to their computer in their basement, etc.

However, I never anticipated 80s retro, extremely tight pants on men, or the popularity of YouTube "video responses," so seesmic might be onto something.

It's good to hear positive titles like that. Up voted.

they seem to work fine on youtube