From TV-Links to MyspaceTV a whole new era of information dispersion has been born. Though streaming media has been in the works for years, it achieved its first great success on the pages of YouTube. YouTube is a website which hosts and shares videos for people to upload, watch, and (with the help of some programs) download. These videos include everything from Music Videos, Movie trailers and game reviews to user videos that can teach the viewer anything between charging an iPod with Gatorade and an onion to hotwiring a car. Acquired by Google for 1.65 billion dollars worth of Google stock late last year, YouTube is one of the most diverse web sites on the internet. It boasts videos and users from all over the world, allows hosting to anyone who is willing to register, and is quick and user friendly enough to be of interest to all genres of people.
YouTube’s versatility and the depth of it’s video collection does not only provide endless entertainment but is a source of help and support to those who need it. Am I talking about emotional support? No, yet there may be videos that do offer such help. I am talking about technological support, academic help, and extracurricular activities to explore. YouTube’s user network consists of all types of people- those who will post videos explaining how to install a new program, explanations of esoteric subjects, pranks you might want to commit, or projects to do in your spare time. Yes watching seemingly useless videos for the sake of spending your day is lame. However that is the fault of the “player” and not the “game”. It is merely a means to an end, how you use it is up to you. YouTube is a whole new form of interaction; information-wise it is a phenomenon and should be given respect as so. It brings more users to computers via entertainment instead of plain text or still images. It provides an escape from a boring day or a night of homework and is completely free, safe, and reliable.
