Google Knol Prediction Revisited

≡ Category: Google, Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

Back in December 2007, I made a bet against Google Knol, the search giant’s answer to Wikipedia. In a fairly involved piece, I listed three reasons why Knol wouldn’t upend Wikipedia. Now fast forward 18+ months: Tech Crunch has reported that Knol’s traffic is trending down. It peaked in February at around 320,000 visitors per [...]

Get Wikipedia on Your Mobile Phone

≡ Category: Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

A Lifehacker post reminded me to spread the word about the newish mobile version of Wikipedia. Simply bookmark this page (mobile.wikipedia.org) on your wireless device, and you can then research all of your questions on the fly. When did the French finally get rid of Robespierre? What’s the gist of Einstein’s special theory of relativity? [...]

Knol: Ok, It’s Not Wikipedia. But What Is It?

≡ Category: Google, Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

The Chronicle of Higher Education is running a new piece (where I happen to get a small blurb) on Google’s Knol, asking what it will mean for students and professors. But it also deals, at least indirectly, with another question: Is Knol really intended to compete with Wikipedia?
When the content initiative was first announced, many [...]

What Wikipedia Founder, Jimmy Wales, Thinks about Knol, the New Google Competitor

≡ Category: Google, Video - Arts & Culture, Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

Here is Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia’s founder, being interviewed after Google debuted Knol. Interesting that his first thought is that users should copy Knol content and bring it to Wikipedia … :

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Google’s Answer to Wikipedia Now Live

≡ Category: Google, Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

Last December, Google announced that it was testing a new content initiative — dubbed “Knol” — intended to rival Wikipedia. The fruits of their labor are now live (in beta), available for all to see.
As we mentioned in our initial piece, Knol caters to the individual author/expert, not to the wisdom of crowds (à la [...]

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Adopting Collaborative Approach, Whispers Uncle

≡ Category: Wikipedia | ≅ Comments

Last week, the venerable Encyclopaedia Britannica gave into the pressure created by Wikipedia when it announced that it is trialling a new service (see the beta site here) that will let the public write and edit articles. The difference, however, is that Britannica’s model won’t be democratic (not all can participate) and its editorial staff [...]