You(r) Tube (youtube.com)

Member Name: Penguin_Cube

Product:	youtube.com
Date:	18/10/09 (29 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to use, Free, Videos of almost anything.

Disadvantages: None that I have come across.

Since it's creation in 2005 YouTube has become a worldwide sensation and has been used as a learning tool, way of broadcasting your thoughts to the masses and can be used by TV Channels to watch TV shows after they are broadcast and to provide behind-the-scenes exclusives. Oh and a lot of random and funny incidents recorded on mobile phones.

YouTube is a Video Hosting and Community site where users can create an account and upload videos to their 'channel'. Then when users search for a keyword that is present in the description or tag/keyword section then it will spear in the results. Once a video's title has intrigued you enough to click on it you will be greeted by a new page showing the video, description box and comments.

YouTube has quite a busy homepage showing many videos: Videos being watched right now, most popular videos and featured videos. At the top you have the option of searching for a video, creating an account, signing in, checking your subscriptions, looking at your history and an option to upload a video.

The video player has a pause/play button, scrubber, volume control, quality control, full screen and annotation/caption options. To the right of videos there is a description box showing who has posted the video, and what it is about. The description box has also been used from my own experience as a way of posting links to items referred to in the video. Underneath the video is a comments section where your 'audience' can interact with you. However, most comments say 'OmGz, whut song is in tha vidyo?' even though the answer is usually in the description box...

Speaking of music, earlier in the year YouTube cracked down on copyrighted music in videos, forcibly deleting videos containing copyrighted music material. Now though music is allowed in videos, but an advertisement pops up telling you the name of the song and gives you the option to buy the song using many popular mp3 download services such as iTunes.

Creating an account on YouTube has many perks such as being able to subscribe to other people so that you are alerted of their new videos and having your own 'channel' in which you can provide a biography and upload your own videos.

'YouTubers' who make interesting, uncopyrighted and frequently watched videos can apply to become a 'YouTube Partner'. Being a YouTube partner allows you to show adverts around your videos and you will be payed a percentage of this revenue. This is a good way for some expensive areas, such as technology video reviews, to sustain themselves. It allows pursuades people to make good quality, informative , and sometimes bizarre videos.

I mostly use YouTube for demonstration purposes on forums, usually through embedding. This is where you can embed a YouTube video into forums that support it.

In conclusion, since 2005 YouTube has revolutionised video on the Internet and can be used by almost anyone, to find videos of almost anything.

Summary: A free, easy-to-use video hosting site with a thriving community.