Here's the deal. I read Slate while I'm at work. I work in a very open environment. I don't need to whole office to know every time I'm NOT working. Video isn't convenient or practical for everyone. I prefer to read at my leisure - many times I will start an article and go back to it an hour later. I just finished watching Dear Prudence - one of my favourite ARTICLES, and found that I just didn't enjoy it as a stupid little "movie". Get realistic Slate; the majority of your readers are sitting in offices and don't have time for this.

Couldn't agree more

If you prefer to read Slate, by all means read it. The existence of Slate V isn't stopping you.

I agree. I love reading the Prudence columns, but this one was cluttered up with cutesy graphics and was a completely different experience - not an enjoyable. It also takes considerably longer to listen to text than to read it, so articles necessary contain less material, making them more simplistic. Please do not change anything to video format - I prefer to read interesting content, not have dumbed-down versions of it acted out by stick figures.

I totally agree! I would rather just read something like that myself- it's a lot faster & the video is completely unnecessary- it does not enhance the column at all.

And the existence of Slate V is stopping me from being able to read Dear Prudence. My choices are video or nothing.

Cathy,

I'm not sure why you can't read Dear Prudence because of Slate V? We're not stopping that feature on Slate - this is a supplemental video for anyone who'd like to watch it.

Jim,

I couldn't find the link to the text version of the letter : Help! I Hate My Boyfriend's Cute Dog..

Maybe thats what Cathy is complaining about.

...version of the doggie tale, not yet anyway. Maybe it's one of the letters from this week's column. I kinda doubt it, though. I think it's a "Tuesday Suppliment".

As long as the videos don't take the place of the written articles, and there is an easy to spot link near the video that will take me to the written article, I'd be fine with that. But if Slate is going to make some articles video only, I'll be quite annoyed.

So yes, I hope Slate V does not prevent me from being able to read the Slate articles.

Thanks, arnott, now I see where the concern is.

Doing 1 video version of a Dear Prudence letter will not take the place of the column. Emily will still publish letters and responses to be read. The video feature is a bonus for anyone who'd like to see an animation (though that single animated letter won't be reproduced as text, there are still 3 or 4 others that can be read as usual).

Sorry for the confusion.

And this is a concern - basically if Slate V continues there will be some articles I won't be able to read. What if that particular Dear Prudie letter greatly interested me? I wouldn't be able to find out what Prudie's advice is until I watch the video.

Yeah. The whole interactive video thing at work...well whatever. I work at a pretty loose environment. I don't know. Thought Michelle Tsai was pretty hot for a nerdy journalist chick.