I definitely agree most of the time. I do find that when I need to actually SEE a motherboard to determine if certain slots are available (most notably in a laptop), it's conventient to find a "repair/upgrade" video of said laptop just for that one thing. Finding the manual with the actual display of hte baords ports for some OEM's is more difficult than just youtubing the upgrade video.

Yeah I would not go to YouTube for Linux advice. It's more useful for repair videos when it is totally non-apparent how to even start. And then you still have to be leery.

I'd rather read sources. I do not know of any worthwhile video instructions for Linux.

Maybe some technical University websites?

I know exactly what you mean. I'm the same sometimes, and I've been trying to find a good GNU/Linux podcast or something like that for those situations. In the end I found 1, and it was a joy to listen to, but it was about 5-10 episodes and that was it. Still looking.

Sorry, forgot... I know you "want to lean back and watch", but I had a look in my link collection and found this immensely interesting home of the Law Enforcement and Forensic Examiner's Introduction to Linux,

Beware, Slackware based btw.

And must link to Robby's interesting links https://rlworkman.net/links/


I hate videos and loathe*) youtube and will always prefer the written word. It allows me to stop, dwell, go back (or away) while streaming is a passive observing process...

*) had a large youtube collection a decade or so ago with invaluable stuff like Hawkwind's "Brainstorm Jam", but all was erased and I've never been back since the day the stream was interrupted with an ad at full volume... breaking a tune up is just too vulgar to my taste

In general, video is a hinderance to learning, and in particular youtube is a blight.

Do yourself a favor...

When you wake the next morning it will be a better, brighter more beautiful day, and everything improves from that point!

Your absolutely right about that sort on video stuff, such as iFixit.

Anytime I have a serious "Linux question," what I try to do is to, first, create an answerable and precise question, then ... ask it right here.

That's also why I fumble through "trying to participate" here – trying to "give back" without being laughed off the planet by those who really know.

While it is indeed rare that I learn anything substantial for x86 Slackware Linux, I have learned a lot about Aarch64 Slackware Linux on YouTube. drmozes and mralk3 show CLI screens in action and hardware orientation. It's useful and good.

OTOH I have used YouTube a lot for in depth hardware information. "Linus Tech Tips" and especially "Gamers Nexus" have spent many thousands of dollars on test gear, many thousands of hours testing, and are beholden to no one. They both have no problem standing up to suppliers and even supporters and calling them out when they screw up, and even respected brand names sometimes do.

I download and read manuals and spec sheets regularly but what's on paper isn't always what's in reality, especially when who wrote the manual or spec sheet has a vested, moneyed interest.

You guys do know there are ways to optimize web searches right? Most search engines understand a lot of code, way more than just HTML. Try searching with "Index of foo" to see how you can drill down. Pro Tip: Don't try "Index of pr0n" unless you're not at work, nobody's home, and you have a thick skin and eye drops.

I generally dislike video because

1. The same people do scores of them, the rest do none.
2. Videomaker do things at their pace whereas I want them to skip all the introductory crap and go slow on the nitty-gritty. They usually do the reverse.

You're good at that. The guys who really know get fed up answering the same silly questions and want to work their knowledge, not spoon feed the lazy.

Where I found youtube videos useful is on a specific application. For example, I just started using freeCad last year. There are some really really good tutorials on using freeCad that got me started designing parts. Very useful to follow along. Also automotive howto stuff too for the simple tasks.

I'd grab a recent reference book on Linux before I'd watch a video on the subject. Same with learning a computer language. Once you have the basics down, simple internet searches can answer your 'specific' questions. Like "how do I search for a file in Linux?", or "uppercase a string in python?" or some such. Dive as deep as you want.... There is no bottom BTW.... No one can learn it all.

How to forge worked for me.

https://www.howtoforge.com

Edit: as well as members signature links supplied here.

This is just one of the reasons I never search for (Linux) solutions on youtube.
Not saying every YT video is bad, but I always try written articles first.
Exception: (dis)assembly of electronic devices like phones and laptops!

I never watch those. They draw attention to the 'genius' instructor and drag out the information.

To which part of my post are you refering?