Rant: I had to pick between a free online course and a paid one for learning basic video editing

Last Tuesday, I found two options: a free 10-hour YouTube playlist or a $45 course on a learning site. I went with the free one because, well, free! The first lesson was fine, but by video three, the guy started explaining things with a puppet named 'Clipboard Carl' for 20 minutes. I learned nothing about editing, but now I know a puppet's backstory. Has anyone else picked the 'free' option and gotten a totally weird surprise instead of the actual skill?

3 comments

3 Comments

miab871mo ago

Used to always grab the free stuff, no question. Your puppet story just convinced me to check reviews first. Sometimes paying a little saves you from a total time-waster. That sounds so frustrating.

diana_king1mo agoTop Commenter

But what if the weird stuff is the point? Sometimes those off topic moments are what make a free course stick in your memory. I learned graphic design from a guy who would randomly talk about his garden. It was weird, but I still remember his color theory lesson because he compared it to planting flowers. The paid course might be dry and forgettable. That puppet's backstory might be the only thing you remember in six months.

the_emery1mo ago

Last year I tried a free coding tutorial where the guy spent 45 minutes showing us his cat's Instagram. I learned more about feline photography than Python. My own fault for thinking "free" meant "focused." Now I just assume any free course might have a hidden puppet or a pet influencer.