Is Screencast OK for helping out?

As per the above, are Screencast OK when helping out someone with a question?

I think the above is referring to when you create a post. When you make a post it might not be a such a good idea because it creates an additional step for volunteers to climb before understanding the problem. I, for example, would just prefer to read the issue.

Can you have screencasts in general?
Absolutely, but some people looking for help may not have vision and so you should provide a text alternative such as a description of the steps in your post.

so just wondering about the screencasts from a Screencast account.

What’s the concern about a Screencast account in particular? Can it be analogized with a YouTube account?

I think the above is referring to when you create a post.

Not when creating a post but when, after numerous replies, the OP still can’t quite understand what’s going on and a short screencast would clear up the issue quickly ??

you should provide a text alternative such as a description of the steps in your post.

This would have already occurred in the thread, which would lead to the “last resort” screencast ??

What’s the concern about a Screencast account in particular? Can it be analogized with a YouTube account?

Yes, similar. It is a service provided by TechSmith, the ones who make Camtasia Studio, Snagit, Jing, etc. I have noticed that some provide links to screenshot sharing sites, so just wondering if this one would be OK too.

*Jan gingerly gets atop his soap box*

What’s the concern about a Screencast account in particular? Can it be analogized with a YouTube account?

Here’s the thing: some people use helping out as a way to get YouTube hits. That’s called spamming and really is discouraged. That includes video/screencast sites besides YouTube too.

The challenge for support in the forum is to attempt to help people simply by words. “Edit this file, select that option in the menu, etc.” and it really is a challenge. It’s not easy but please give that a try first.

A few years ago there was a well meaning gentleman who posted replies that included links to video instructions on his site. That user only had good intentions and was genuinely attempting to be helpful. And all of those links were removed because it could be misconstrued as driving traffic to that site and or YouTube channel.

Please use screencasts as a last resort. If you do end up posting a screencast then please make it to someone else’s YouTube/screencast and not your own. I know that sounds odd but it’s a completely different thing to post to some third party’s videos than your own.

Of course WordPress.tv are an exception. Those are fine to post no matter who created them. ??

The challenge for support in the forum is to attempt to help people simply by words. “Edit this file, select that option in the menu, etc.” and it really is a challenge. It’s not easy but please give that a try first.

Yes, I know ?? I have over 3,200 posts on the Joomla! forum and have had some “challenging” ones ?? Also, when helping out folks in person, standing right behind them, some just don’t “get” where “in the upper right” of the screen is ??

I agree with Jan. Using Youtube videos is a good idea, but could be abused. When I look for youtube videos of different WordPress guides, more often than not I never get a chance to hear what they have to say because the first few minutes are crammed with welcoming message, subscribe to my feed, like me on facebook, follow me on twitter… I find that so frustrating.

The downfall of using screencasts also is that the content can’t be found via search engines. I think that detailed yet brief explanations are best.