Originally Posted: August 18th, 2020

A Mountain of Clickbait

Dave Lee is one of my favorite creators. He publishes videos on YouTube about technology, often reviewing phones or laptops. His style is unique, clean, focused, and straightforward. I’ll watch anything he makes. I always enjoy hearing his take on something, even if it’s a Windows laptop I’ll never buy.

A lot of tech channels on YouTube focus on clickbait and gimmicky thumbnails to grab your attention. So many of them CAPITALIZE random WORDS in their titles and speak in OVER-EXAGGERATED voices, because that’s what the YouTube algorithm demands. So many of them value engagement over content. Maybe I’m getting old, or I’m out of touch, but I am quick to close out of those videos. Life is too short.

I have the same low tolerance with websites. If I click a link and the text is overlaid with popups or a newsletter signup, I close that tab. Immediately. There’s so much good stuff out there but ironically, it is harder than ever to find. Good content is buried under a mountain of clickbait and auto-play video ads. This flood of junk makes finding good stuff, like Dave’s videos, that much more rewarding.

Don’t Wait: Make Something and Share It With The World

I’m subscribed to Dave on YouTube, and the other day I saw he had a video on the new iMac. I already knew everything that changed with the new model, but I wanted Dave’s take. The video (My Super Weird iMac “Review") blew me away. The title is accurate, and he explains it in the video. It’s filled with wisdom and great advice. I recommend you watch it, but here’s some of the main points:

If you want to make something, just make it.Why do you care about what other people think?

I made something and shared it with the world. It felt awesome.

A computer is just a tool. If I had waited for the next iMac, who knows? Maybe I never would have done any of this stuff.

Don’t wait for the next best thing. Pick up the tool that’s available today, and use it to make stuff starting today.

Don’t waste your mind space worrying about the next one. Just get the tool and get the job done. You never know, you might land on something you love.

It’s hard to put into words how much this resonated with me. I expected a quick video going over the changes to the new model and some discussion about the upcoming Apple Silicon transition, but what he made was so much better. The story Dave tells about getting into making things, like his iOS game, or his YouTube channel, mirrors my own. I don’t mean that in a conceited way. I’m not comparing myself to him or saying I’m on his level, just that the creative drive he mentions is something I can relate to. Creative drive is a fickle beast, but I’ve found that honing that skill and doing the work is far more important than the specs of the tool you use.

His story evokes the love I have for Apple and it’s products. Could I work on this website from a Windows computer? I can, and I have. But macOS is my home, and my MacBook is my preferred tool. It allows me to work the way I want. Dave’s video is a good reminder that the tool is not as important as the user, and the drive to create.

The Apple nerd sphere has been overtaken with stories of Apple’s legal troubles, anti-competitveness, and the ongoing flame war between Apple and Epic. I have opinions on these stories, but I don’t see any value in adding my voice to the chorus. People far smarter than I are covering that in more depth and with a clearer perspective than I will ever achieve. Dave’s video helped me refocus on what I can do, and gave me motivation to continue working on it. I don’t want to add to Clickbait Mountain, I want to make good things and share them with the world.

If you’re anything like me, and you have the desire to create, my advice to you is don’t wait. Don’t wait for the next spec bump. Don’t wait until you can afford to upgrade your computer, or whatever tools you think you need. Start today, and focus on the work. You never know, you might land on something you love.

In that spirit, I want to share the YouTube channels I enjoy. Here’s a short, incomplete list of the creators that inspire me:

YouTube Channels That Are Worth Your Attention

General Technology

• Dave Lee - My favorite laptop and phone reviewer. Just an overall great creator with great, honest reviews.

• MKBHD - Everyone knows him, right? Do I need to explain what he does? His reviews can be kind of middle-of-the-road, but they look so good it’s hard to not watch them.

• Rene Ritchie - Great, in-depth reviews, analysis, and opinion on all things Apple.

• The Computer Chronicles - If you’re a nerd for computer history, they have tons of archival interviews and footage from modern computing history.

• AppleVideoArchive - I wish this was something Apple did, but this is great channel which covers a lot of archival Apple videos. It’s a fun rabbit hole to go down.

Networking

• Lawrence Systems - Great coverage of Ubiquiti, PFSense, Wi-Fi, and projects as a managed service provider. Tons of great and informative videos that have helped me understand countless topics.

• Willie Howe - Just like Tom from Lawrence Systems, Willie is another legened in the Ubiquiti YouTube sphere. Also covers VoIP and other related networking topics well.

• CrossTalk Solutions - This was the first Ubiquiti focused channel I found, and Chris really helped me understand UniFi when I was just starting to research it years ago. Tons of great videos, I particularly appreciate his real-world projects and in-the-field stuff.

• CBT Nuggets - CBT Nuggets is an expensive subscription that is worth it for serious, in-depth video training. Their YouTube videos are small samples of what the subscription offers, but their “micro nuggets” are great resources on their own.

PC Hardware

• Gamers Nexus - Hands down the best in-depth videos on CPUs, GPUs, benchmarks, news, and PC components. I love when he criticizes and calls out bad or dishonest behavior from manufacturers.

• JayzTwoCents - Silly, funny, but still great videos about PC hardware and creating and overclocking custom-built PCs.

• Level1Techs - My favorite Linux sysadmin guru. Incredibly knowledgable about servers, components, and Linux.

Cars

• SavageGeese - My favorite car reviewer. His dry humor and honest perspective are so great that I’ve watched him review cars I would never buy.

• The Straight Pipes - A close second for car reviewers. Two Canadians who have a unique style, including segments like the visor test, box test, and others. Just like SavageGeese, I find myself watching them review cars I have zero interest in.

Music

• AudioTree - My favorite music channel. I’ve watched Liz Cooper and Rayland Baxter’s appearances countless times. Great music, recorded well, with little interview snippets between songs. A pure joy, and a great way to discover new music.

• KEXP - Non-profit radio station in Seattle. Just as good as AudioTree.

• NPR Tiny Desk - Everyone know’s this channel and what they do right? If you don’t, by God, check it out.

• JuliaPlaysGroove - Randomly found her a few months ago. Incredible bass covers, including this astounding cover of Juice by Lizzo. She has more talent in one finger than I have in my whole body.