BVG NT 4 video Training review

I must admit that the task of sitting down to watch a total of eight hours of instructional videos on NT 4 was not the most appetising of prospects. BVG's series on NT 4 comprises eight tapes: one covering installation, two on administration, three for the user, and one each on security and messaging. Undaunted, I prepared for the experience with an open mind.

Unfortunately, my preconceptions were entirely justified. Although using multimedia can be a successful way of imparting a lot of information quickly if implemented well, this course fails to take full advantage of the medium.

First, the choice of a video format may limit users who don't have a TV card to connect the video to, or who have difficulty in getting their video and TV next to their computer. This is unlikely to matter to those in a large corporate environment, but for the SoHo user it could be restrictive.

It's immediately apparent that these videos were created for an American audience. The only concession to Anglicising the product is a token 15-second introduction in an English voice, and after an hour or two, the strong accents of narrators Julie Clemens and Virgil Ritchie begin to grate on the nerves.

All this would be irrelevant, however, if the structure and the content of the videos held the attention or demonstrated sufficient depth of content, but I found this wasn't the case. The videos are a confusing mixture of information for both end-user and system administrator. You'll end up sitting through long, irrelevant segments containing reams of superfluous information that would have been better dealt with in text format or not at all.

For instance, in the installation video you are told that users need 'one or more hard disks, a high density 3.5in disk drive and a CD-ROM drive'. This is followed by the helpful 'Scroll down to the bottom of the page and press F8 to accept the Terms and Conditions', and then we are shown how to insert our name and address in boxes clearly marked 'Name and Address'. All of this is a waste of valuable education time.

The presentation is frequently interrupted with messages to pause and practise on your computer, assuming you had your computer with you while you were watching the video. These are inserted in a somewhat arbitrary fashion - often there is nothing to practise. The rest of the videos are equally disappointing: information presentation is superficial even in those areas where it might have made a genuine impact, such as security and messaging.

For the individual user, there's very little to recommend, particularly for anybody with an even superficial knowledge of Windows. However, public libraries and large corporations with multimedia facilities, and a captive audience, might conceivably find the videos useful in educating large groups of people.

If you want a real insight into NT 4, Que's Special Edition Using Windows NT Workstation 4 book/CD is a better option (reviewed issue 29, p191). The price of £46, compared with £120 for the full video set, offers better value for money and covers much more ground without ignoring the basics. For those desperate for multimedia, the book also comes with a CD, allowing you to practise your NT skills while actually using your PC.

Author: AndrÚ Levy