Posts Tagged ‘Google Knol’

Google knol is spam with “lipstick.”

Nate
Sep 11 |03:31

Much like Barack Obama’s recent comment wherein he said, “put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig,” I feel the same way about Google Knol. You put lipstick on a linkfarm, it’s still a linkfarm. Google doesn’t need to compete with Wikipedia, although they will. Just like Microsoft doesn’t need to compete with Google, but they will. The struggle I have with Google knol is threefold:

1. It’s less censored. Yes others can edit your posts, but only if you let them. This is a stark contrast to Wikipedia where the world is the police. I love that about wikipedia. How many have been on Wikipedia, seen something incorrect and refreshed the page to find it was fixed before you could even get to it. Wikipedia also has groups of editors who make sure no spam type information flies under the radar. Google knol, I fear, is lacking these same characteristics.

2. Links. Wikipedia allows outbound linking, but it seems there’s much less control over the links which are placed outbound on Google knol. I’m not a fan. This relates perfectly with point one in that there is not enough censorship. 

3. It can be irrelevant. I can go on there right now and write an article about cats and how they love catnip. Who cares! But it’ll be in there and get indexed. There’s just too much room for a slew of irrelevant information. If experts are supposed to be on there to share, let ‘em do it on Wikipedia.

I just have one final question: what are blogs for now that we have almighty Google knol? I mean, if I wanted an opinion on something, I would go a Google Blogsearch. If I want relevant information I know is under pretty consistent review, I’ll visit Wikipedia.

 

Google Knol and NoFollow or DoFollow Links: Spam?

Nate
Aug 13 |23:15

Google Knol is truly another me-too internet application which allows Google to push more traffic through their servers (as opposed to Wikipedia). This will allow them to make more from advertising because more of the traffic will be coming to them. It’s like having Google ads on a Google version of Wikipedia. Of course, Wikipedia was cool with it. The internet is a source for free information right?

This is truly another genius move my Google to increase their bottom line. The only problem is I’ve seen a ton of negative backlash in the blogoshere to Google Knol. Some have even “prophesied” the demise of the new project. I doubt it. Once information starts getting populated it will end up a great resource for information on the internet.

Which reminds me to talk about the benefits of it over Wikipedia as well as the downsides when compared to Wikipedia. Knol is not heavily guarded for accuracy. There may be much more “garbage” information that will show up in the Knol database than on Wikipedia. In addition, it appears as though the site allows for no-no follow or dofollow links to be placed in articles. This could be used as a type of spamming. At least, that’s certainly a possibility.