A YouTube Forum

I'm wondering whether there is any support for a YouTube forum. We all come across some really interesting videos from time to time that don't necessarily fit with any ongoing discussion but are none-the-less likely to be of interest to others here.

Videos inside debates don't work very well; generally people seem to want the argument made by the poster, not by exchanging youtube links. (And I note some are unable to view them at work or in the library anyway.)

It would be a bit like the book forum, but hopefully more used, and maybe something to look at when things are quiet around here.

It would need the poster to provide a short summary of why s/he thinks this particular video is so epic that it deserves a viewing. Any debate about it could spin off into a topic in its own right.

Just an idea.

interesting idea---though i'm not sure I understand fully. Do WE make the You Tube videos as commentary?(or) do we critique You Tube videos which are already made?

Phat writes: interesting idea---though i'm not sure I understand fully. Do WE make the You Tube videos as commentary?(or) do we critique You Tube videos which are already made?

I imagined we'd be posting other people's videos, mostly I was thinking of the big guns in the subject, a bit like TED talks - I'm certainly not going to make one - but I see no reason for barring DIY efforts.

So the idea is that someone would post what they think is an interesting video and the rest of the crowd would comment on it, or not. Which is what we do now when an appropriate video is added to a thread.

I take it this separate YouTube forum would be more for the general interest videos not tied to any specific thread topic. A kinda spread the virus entry.

"Awh, pretty kitty."

Would you give us an example here?

AZP writes: I take it this separate YouTube forum would be more for the general interest videos not tied to any specific thread topic. A kinda spread the virus entry. "Awh, pretty kitty."

I was rather hoping it would be a bit more cerebral than cat videos. I had in mind something like this.

This is Christopher Hitchens reading chapter 9 of his book "God is not great". It's actually not a video, it's a just him reading - in this case explaining the origins of Islam and its key problems, as he sees it. It's interesting, erudite and edgy but it's not something being discussed here at the moment.

RAZD's new post is a good example of what I mean.

http://www.evcforum.net/dm.php?control=msg&t=18987

He's posted a TED talk but has to bother an admin to allocate and allow it. It might start a new discussion or it might fizzle out in a few posts. But it will disappear from view in year and it's unlikely anyone will view it after the last post is made there. If it was in a forum of its own, it can be looked at anytime and you know where it is if you need to find it again.

Edited by Tangle, : No reason given.

He's posted a TED talk but has to bother an admin to allocate and allow it.

Only because he presented it as a PNT. Not because it has a video in it. Adding a video within an existing thread doesn't require an admin, does it?

Are you suggesting the YouTube Forum be a free-for-all like Coffee House?

On your Hitch video, that's a good one.

I read the book, but listening to the man present his own words with his own emphasis and inflection gives much more meaning then just the words on a page. Additional meanings, or rather, depth of meaning, come through. Some of the jabs at religion he makes were striking on the page but are quite stinging in his voice. Thank you for that one.

AZP writes: Adding a video within an existing thread doesn't require an admin, does it?

No. I wasn't impying that. It was just an example of what I was talking about. Of course having a video forum doesn't mean you can't post videos in other forums either - I'm just pointing out that like the book forum, it could cover stuff that's interesting but not necessary to discuss much further. Or if it does spark an interest, the discussion could be opened in a forum in the usual way.

Are you suggesting the YouTube Forum be a free-for-all like Coffee House?

Yup.

On your Hitch video, that's a good one....Thank you for that one.

You're welcome. That's the sort of thing I'm suggesting it's good for.

RAZD's new post is a good example of what I mean. He's posted a TED talk ...

Well I considered posting it here as an example. One problem I have is that virtually every TED talk I have seen has been worth watching, and thus you thread could become an index of TED talks plus other videos.

... But has to bother an admin to allocate and allow it.

Actually I wanted to see a discussion on the validity of this model from the physics wonks, and ask why this fascination with symmetry as if it is the new god of physics ... personally I am skeptical.

... If it was in a forum of its own, it can be looked at anytime and you know where it is if you need to find it again.

Curiously I've never had trouble finding old posts -- the problem is remembering them not finding them.

Enjoy

So the thread would be like the humor or music threads.

^^^ yup

RAZD writes: Well I considered posting it here as an example.

I'm not suggesting that people have to post all videos here - if you're wanting to open a discussion on it, fine. It's just that the forums tend to be for people pushing an argument and then defending it. Mostly I'm just interested in reading/hearing interesting stuff that's new to me.

One problem I have is that virtually every TED talk I have seen has been worth watching

Agreed. I'd suggest we stick to EVC interest areas. No cats.