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Directory:Akahele/Searching for answers (view source)
Revision as of 23:42, 22 October 2010
, 23:42, 22 October 2010→Image credits:
Google seemed to think otherwise. In April 2002, they unveiled Google Answers, a fee-based question and answer clearinghouse. An earlier attempt by Google to run an answer farm using only paid staffers failed after being inundated with questions during the first day or two. That led to the "crowdsourced" version, where a panel of about 500 registered "researchers" would tackle questions in exchange for payments of $4 to $50, which was promptly expanded to a range anchored at $2 and at $200. Those posting a query were charged a non-refundable fee of 50 cents, and Google pocketed 25% of the final payment to successful respondents.
Google seemed to think otherwise. In April 2002, they unveiled Google Answers, a fee-based question and answer clearinghouse. An earlier attempt by Google to run an answer farm using only paid staffers failed after being inundated with questions during the first day or two. That led to the "crowdsourced" version, where a panel of about 500 registered "researchers" would tackle questions in exchange for payments of $4 to $50, which was promptly expanded to a range anchored at $2 and at $200. Those posting a query were charged a non-refundable fee of 50 cents, and Google pocketed 25% of the final payment to successful respondents.
After passing a [https://answers.google.com/answers/researchertraining.html relatively simple test] of search and writing skills, one could join another [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=100&q=factsoncall-ga+site%3Aanswers.google.com&btnG=Search">] 500 designated researchers. As an observer, a bounty-posting questioner, and an occasional answerer, my memory of the program is as follows:
After passing a [https://answers.google.com/answers/researchertraining.html relatively simple test] of search and writing skills, one could join another [http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&num=100&q=factsoncall-ga+site%3Aanswers.google.com&btnG=Search" 500 designated researchers]. As an observer, a bounty-posting questioner, and an occasional answerer, my memory of the program is as follows:
(1) Most of the questions that could be researched and answered within 10 minutes were:
(1) Most of the questions that could be researched and answered within 10 minutes were:
Launched in very late 2005, [http://answers.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Answers] became the [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/09/01/8384345/ second-most popular] reference website after Wikipedia in less than a year's time. Seeded with "Featured Questions" to get the juices flowing, in the earliest days these might have included questions such as:
Launched in very late 2005, [http://answers.yahoo.com/ Yahoo! Answers] became the [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/09/01/8384345/ second-most popular] reference website after Wikipedia in less than a year's time. Seeded with "Featured Questions" to get the juices flowing, in the earliest days these might have included questions such as:
::Are all [http://web.archive.org/web/20051220075200/http://answers.yahoo.com/ snowflakes] really different?
::What's your favorite [http://web.archive.org/web/20051211040657/http://answers.yahoo.com/ chocolate] recipe?
The database allows anonymous posters to ask questions for free, and it allows any registered user to respond to questions (under the "free" model, which means people doing substantially meritorious work get paid the exact same amount as a prankster posting jokes -- not a dime). Why would people contribute time and effort for free? It would seem that the elaborate grading system that awards "points" to players participating in the knowledge marketplace is sufficient enticement to keep the site populated.
The database allows anonymous posters to ask questions for free, and it allows any registered user to respond to questions (under the "free" model, which means people doing substantially meritorious work get paid the exact same amount as a prankster posting jokes -- not a dime). Why would people contribute time and effort for free? It would seem that the elaborate grading system that awards "points" to players participating in the knowledge marketplace is sufficient enticement to keep the site populated.
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<td><img src="http://www.script-office.com/images/yahooAnswersLogo.png" alt="Yahoo! Answers logo" /></td>
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<td class="photocaption" style="text-align: center;">#2 online reference site?</td>
<td class="photocaption" style="text-align: center;">#2 online reference site?</td>
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For the past few months, I myself have been asking questions and contributing answers to Yahoo! queries in the categories I'm most adept -- market research, travel, and Wikipedia. I admit, it is predictably addictive to see myself rise up from nowhere to (currently) the [http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/stars?sid=2115500146 fifth best] contributor on a topic. But, I have ulterior motives, too. By watching and answering questions, I've been building up some material for this very Akahele article, while occasionally posting a link to other Akahele articles, when appropriate.
For the past few months, I myself have been asking questions and contributing answers to Yahoo! queries in the categories I'm most adept -- market research, travel, and Wikipedia. I admit, it is predictably addictive to see myself rise up from nowhere to (currently) the [http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/stars?sid=2115500146 fifth best] contributor on a topic. But, I have ulterior motives, too. By watching and answering questions, I've been building up some material for this very Akahele article, while occasionally posting a link to other Akahele articles, when appropriate.
==Lost souls==
From my recent experience, I have found both the questions and most of the answers delivered on the Yahoo! platform to reveal a careless level of engagement at best, to an appalling lack of sensibility at worst. Indeed, Jacob Leibenluft [http://www.slate.com/id/2179393/pagenum/all/ writing in ''Slate''] called Yahoo! Answers "every middle-school teacher's worst nightmare about the Web".
From my recent experience, I have found both the questions and most of the answers delivered on the Yahoo! platform to reveal a careless level of engagement at best, to an appalling lack of sensibility at worst. Indeed, Jacob Leibenluft [http://www.slate.com/id/2179393/pagenum/all/ writing in ''Slate''] called Yahoo! Answers "every middle-school teacher's worst nightmare about the Web".
As I look at the site at this moment, the featured question is, "How do I bond with my rats?" I found the next featured question even more astounding: "How much should i charge for painting a fence?" Not an awful question, but in the details, the guy making the query points out that the fence is post-and-rail, and that the fence runs for 11,000 feet. If you were a landowner with a two-mile fence, would you want your contractor going to Yahoo! Answers to ask strangers how to estimate the job? That's a bit scary.
As I look at the site at this moment, the featured question is, "How do I bond with my rats?" I found the next featured question even more astounding: "How much should i charge for painting a fence?" Not an awful question, but in the details, the guy making the query points out that the fence is post-and-rail, and that the fence runs for 11,000 feet. If you were a landowner with a two-mile fence, would you want your contractor going to Yahoo! Answers to ask strangers how to estimate the job? That's a bit scary.
Wait. It's not as scary as the "[http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/;_ylt=AlDqXDhDxp9NtXTiF.Xq3Pzpy6IX;_ylv=3?link=list&sid=396546046 Pregnancy and Parenting]" category. Today, I see the following questions there:<a class="subject l3" title="See more details on Brown Discharge????? Help!!!?" href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuN77L5M.XgNvBocUMj.L1d37hR.;_ylv=3?qid=20090412185420AApVBvl">]
Wait. It's not as scary as the "[http://answers.yahoo.com/dir/;_ylt=AlDqXDhDxp9NtXTiF.Xq3Pzpy6IX;_ylv=3?link=list&sid=396546046 Pregnancy and Parenting]" category. Today, I see the following questions there:
:Brown Discharge????? Help!!!?
:[http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuN77L5M.XgNvBocUMj.L1d37hR.;_ylv=3?qid=20090412185420AApVBvl Brown Discharge????? Help!!!?]
:What first name would go with Joseph Cyplik?
:What first name would go with Joseph Cyplik?
:When does conception occur?
:When does conception occur?
*Facts On Call, Inc. logo used courtesy of Gregory Kohs, its creator.
*Facts On Call, Inc. logo used courtesy of Gregory Kohs, its creator.
*<span style="color: #000000;">Yahoo! Answers logo, <a title="Yahoo! Answers logo, Fair use" href="http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107 <span class="comment">fair use doctrine</span>].</span>
*Yahoo! Answers logo, [http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#107 fair use doctrine].
==Comments==
==Comments==