I actually found the content disappointing and don't see why to bother spending tutorial time on explaining them. A somewhat competent programmer will have figured out how to add mode-hooks after looking at his first one or two EmacsWiki pages. describe-variable (and all other describe functions) are covered by most introductions and should be learned before approaching any kind of Emacs customization. The rest is almost exclusively content where the only useful thing is to know that the functionality exists, but which is just to trivial to spend video time on what it does. Video tutorials are nice but I think you would be better of on focusing on the really tricky parts of Emacs and core concepts.
In creating tutorials, the key is exercising restraint.
This is especially important when dealing with Emacs, which is a classic case of an almost complete lack of restraint
concerning the hierarchical organization of features. EmacsWiki is another great example of a huge tangled ball of knots.
Most experts forget exactly how impenetrable a new subject can seem to a beginner. I commend the tutor for not forgetting this!
I'm the chap that made the tutorials and I agree with both of you. I can't, for the life of me, study anything from a screencast. Most of the ones I've seen are either too superficial to be worth it or too detailed to be useful without being able to flip back and forth like it's possible to do with text.
I'm trying to balance out the two and spent quite a while trying to tease out stuff that's not too superficial but at the same time is not too deep for beginners to follow.
Like most of these things, it's going to be impossible to please everyone but if there is a sizeable fraction of people who find this useful, I think it's served its purpose.
As for me, thinking through the whole thing in advance, trying stuff out and preparing the material helps me clarify my own knowledge.
Comments
I actually found the content disappointing and don't see why to bother spending tutorial time on explaining them. A somewhat competent programmer will have figured out how to add mode-hooks after looking at his first one or two EmacsWiki pages. describe-variable (and all other describe functions) are covered by most introductions and should be learned before approaching any kind of Emacs customization. The rest is almost exclusively content where the only useful thing is to know that the functionality exists, but which is just to trivial to spend video time on what it does. Video tutorials are nice but I think you would be better of on focusing on the really tricky parts of Emacs and core concepts.
I emphatically disagree.
In creating tutorials, the key is exercising restraint.
This is especially important when dealing with Emacs, which is a classic case of an almost complete lack of restraint concerning the hierarchical organization of features. EmacsWiki is another great example of a huge tangled ball of knots.
Most experts forget exactly how impenetrable a new subject can seem to a beginner. I commend the tutor for not forgetting this!
I'm the chap that made the tutorials and I agree with both of you. I can't, for the life of me, study anything from a screencast. Most of the ones I've seen are either too superficial to be worth it or too detailed to be useful without being able to flip back and forth like it's possible to do with text.
I'm trying to balance out the two and spent quite a while trying to tease out stuff that's not too superficial but at the same time is not too deep for beginners to follow.
Like most of these things, it's going to be impossible to please everyone but if there is a sizeable fraction of people who find this useful, I think it's served its purpose.
As for me, thinking through the whole thing in advance, trying stuff out and preparing the material helps me clarify my own knowledge.