[rambambram]

Don't talk to me like that. My post does not invite this kind of reaction.

> Turn off the feed and turn on your brain.

Don't suggest I don't use my brain, please. For this purpose I built my own feed reader (as part of all kinds of social functions for my website system, link in bio), which I also use to scan for new videos on Youtube's channels that I follow. It works great. Sometimes I want to discover new channels and go directly to Youtube.

> Think about what you want to learn and search for it.

This is exactly what I said in my OP. I searched for topics on Youtube to discover new videos and channels, it's hard and doesn't work.

[gritspants]

Then... why are you using it? I used to get some degree of infotainment out of it but then it became this. Here's an idea: I had a need for some custom metal machining (aluminum). I just looked up some local companies and found a guy who was happy to work it into his shop. I've had some other needs, and just wound up hiring some guys to teach me (stick welding). It's not free, but there is incredible value doing it the old way.

[rambambram]

I use it as tv, but then topics I like that are not on tv.

You must be reading my mind, because I recently let some lasercutting shop make some aluminum for a hardware project that I'm doing. I have all kinds of projects on https://www.theredpanther.org - partly (or should I say mostly) inspired by Youtube.

So for me it works both ways, I get inspired, make something of my own, share it on Youtube. That's why it is such a nice platform. I even meet people through Youtube (fawowa scene is big in neighbouring Germany, for example) and I regularly leave comments and get comments.

On the other hand, the algorithm pushes me certain ways that I don't like. And it makes me sad knowing there are thousands of people making nice videos that I want to see but will never see, because Youtube's algorithm favors what they want to show, not what I want to watch (although their algo must be more than smart enough to give me hours and hours of good content). I have to take the bad with the good, I think.

[acomjean]

The home page isn’t great. I think what he ment was use the subscription feature, which you seem to do.

I sometime forget that feature exists, but I have channels I like that seem to only show up when I pull up subscriptions and never make it to the “home page suggestions” (I guess my own personal algorithm?).