Monday, December 17, 2007

Wikipedia's Rival

Google is developing an online publishing service where people can write entries based on subjects they know


Google Creates Wikipedia Rival
Google is developing an online publishing platform where people can write entries on subjects they know, and idea that's close to Wikipedia's user-contributed content but with several differences.

Currently, the project is in an invitation-only beta stage, similar to Gmail way back. It allows users to create clean-looking web pages with their photo and write entries on a particular subject, like exercise. These entries are called "knols", for "unit of knowledge", Google said.

The search giant aims to develop a deep repository of knowledge, covering a wide gamut of topics, such as history and entertainment. This looks promising, but it has to catch up with Wikipedia's already 7 million articles in 200 languages. Anonymous or registered users can contribute to an entry in Wikipedia that's edited by a network of vetted editors.

But Google asserts that the Web's development so far has neglected the importance of the bylined author.

"We believe that knowing who wrote what will significantly help users make better use of web content," wrote Udi Manber, vice president of engineering, on the official Google blog.
Google said anyone can write about any topic, and repetition of entries on the same subjects is beneficial. Google will provide the Web hosting space, as well as editing tools.

Google also gives users an option to place ads on their created knols, giving contributors a "substantial" portion of the revenue generated by those ads.

Entries cannot be edited or revised by other people, unlike Wikipedia. However, readers will be able to rank and review others' entries, which the Google's search engine will utilize.

The concept of peer-reviewed information is nothing new and is implemented in different ways on various Web sites. Yahoo, for example, has an "Answers" feature where users can ask questions, and the response is ranked on quality. Also, most blogs have forms where readers can comment on the author's entry.

Despite those other formats, Google probably feels that "a service like Knol might be necessary to stay competitive," wrote Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engine Land, in a review.

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