Hmmm, this new effort from Google sounds suspiciously like Mahalo. At the LeWeb conference, Jason Calacanis, the guy who started Mahalo (a search engine that uses people to build more relevant results pages), pointed out many ways that Google’s main search engine is being polluted. Looks like Google got the message!
Tons more comment on Knol is over on TechMeme.
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Robert Scoble works at Fast Company.TV (title: Managing Director). Everything here, though, is his personal opinion and is not read or approved before it is posted. No warranties or other guarantees will be offered as to the quality of the opinions or anything else offered here.
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December 14th, 2007 at 11:23 am
Sounds more like Wikipedia.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Ah… so they whipped this up since LeWeb?
December 14th, 2007 at 11:32 am
Michael: no, but Jason gave a similar talk back at Gnomedex last summer.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:33 am
I don’t think the web is polluted. I think adding even more content maybe a mistake though.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:36 am
shwibbs: Jason made a very compelling case that it is polluted. You should watch the video when it’s up.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
“Google will not serve as an editor in any way, and will not bless any content. All editorial responsibilities and control will rest with the authors.”
That’s the exact opposite of what Mahalo was supposed to do. Mahalo has no user contributed content at all, it’s all created inhouse.
December 14th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Knol aside, I don’t think the solution to existing pollution is to create new services. What if, instead of more duplication that wears authors and readers thin, we created a way to partner with existing content sites and helped them design ways to allow users and readers to self-moderate? What would drive spammers away faster than having their peers in their face?
Squidoo lensmasters take a lot of pride in what they’ve created and what their peers create. They put a lot of effort into positive critiquing and suggestions for others, and when necessary, flagging content. They are the force that drives our continual growth - in traffic, income, and even greater new tools to play with and be successful with.
I say give people the power to create, and let their peers judge them. Teach them by example what is great, instead of trying to do it for them.
December 14th, 2007 at 1:46 pm
Uh….how is this different than wikipedia?
December 14th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Owen Byrne: A small correction… Mahalo does have user contributed content. See http://www.mahalo.com/How_to_Use_Mahalo_Social.
Note / Disclosure: I’m a community manager for the Mahalo Greenhouse, which compensates people around the world for search results pages they create for Mahalo.
December 14th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
> Uh….how is this different than wikipedia?
Wikipedia doesn’t have advertising plastered all over it.
Apparently someone looked at all the traffic being redirected to wikipedia.org and decided there was money to be made In That Sort Of Thing.
December 14th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
[...] at Google announced an exciting and provocative new project today: Google Knols. I read about it on Robert Scoble’s blog and, being in an opportunistic mood, decided to start a blog about Google Knols. I know a lot about [...]
December 14th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
You know, I’ve been looking around for a blog topic that I could really sink my teeth into. And seriously have a go at monetizing. So Robert, if you’ll permit me a little pre-Christmas pimpage:
http://www.WriteGreatKnols.com/
December 14th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
More Squidoo than Mahalo: this isn’t a links product but authoritative data ala Wikipedia
December 14th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
My two bucks says that Google doesn’t try to cover new as broadly as Mahalo. They will also be more professional than Wikipedia. The obvious thing is to align with the verticals that Google focuses on or wants to focus on, such as Google Health, Google CPG, etc.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:00 pm
RIP Wikpedia.
December 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 pm
[...] Scobelizer: Google says “Mahalo” to Knol [...]
December 24th, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Knol serves a special purpose. Wikipedia and other like information sources are held hostage by the limited views and opinions of a conservative select few. Fresh, novel insights and other true aspects relating to many other subject are often totally excluded.