SAN FRANCISCO — Type “buttermilk pancakes” into Google, and among the top three or four search results you will find a link to a detailed recipe complete with a photo of a scrumptious stack from a site called Knol, which is owned by Google.
Google envisions Knol as a place where experts can share their knowledge on a variety of topics. It hopes to create a sort of online encyclopedia built from the contributions of scores of individuals. But while Wikipedia is collectively edited and ad-free, Knol contributors sign their articles and retain editing control over the content. They can choose to place ads, sold by Google, on their pages.
While Knol is only three weeks old and still relatively obscure, it has already rekindled fears among some media companies that Google is increasingly becoming a competitor. They foresee Google’s becoming a powerful rival that not only owns a growing number of content properties, including YouTube, the top online video site, and Blogger, a leading blogging service, but also holds the keys to directing users around the Web.SAN FRANCISCO — Type “buttermilk pancakes” into Google, and among... more
Google has launched an online encyclopaedia to take on Wikipedia. Knol, which stands for unit of knowledge, allows internet users to write articles on their own areas of expertise. The world's largest search engine is hoping that "knols" will be written on every conceivable topic ranging from gardening and pottery to Byzantine art and neo-classical literature.
The free service will inevitably draw comparisons with Wikipedia but Google says it differs from it in many ways. Unlike Wikipedia, which allows visitors to edit its pages, people will not be able to make changes or contribute to a person's knol without their permission.
Knols written on the same subject will also remain separate and compete for the attention of visitors, who will be able to give online feedback. Pictures of authors will also be displayed on their knol web pages. Udi Manber, Google's vice president of engineering, said: "We believe that knowing who wrote what will significantly help users make better use of web content. Books have authors' names right on the cover, news articles have bylines, scientific articles always have authors; but somehow the web evolved without a strong standard to keep authors names highlighted."
Contributors will be able to make money from the service by allowing adverts which relate to their articles to appear on their pages.
Juergen Galler, Google's director of product management said: "The internet is huge, but still a lot of expert knowledge remains untapped. Knol provides a way for people to share their expertise with others - and get credit for their contribution."
The service is part of a growing drive by Google to expand beyond simple search and into other areas such as desk top publishing and mobile phones.
But taking on Wikipedia is no mean feat. With 116 million global users a month - a third of the internet population - it consistently ranks among the most visited websites in the world.
Anyone wanting to write a knol should go to knol.google.comGoogle has launched an online encyclopaedia to take on Wikipedia. Knol, which stands... more
"Back in December, the search engine cum world power announced an anyone-can-edit online encyclopedia it insists on calling Knol, and this morning, with a post to The Official Google Blog, product manager Cedric Dupont and software engineer Michael McNally opened things up to world+dog.
Yes, Google is going head-to-head with Wikipedia, the cult that once saved it from extinction. But unlike Wikipedia - where Jimbo Wales hides his crazed cohorts behind anonymous accounts - Knol asks that you put your name on whatever you write.
"The key principle behind Knol is authorship," Dupont and McNally write. "Every knol will have an author (or group of authors) who put their name behind their content. It's their knol, their voice, their opinion. We expect that there will be multiple knols [grassy ones too? - ed] on the same subject, and we think that is good."
Others can edit your knol - short for "knowledge," apparently - but not without your approval. "We are introducing a new method for authors to work together that we call 'moderated collaboration,'" the Goolgers continue. "With this feature, any reader can make suggested edits to a knol which the author may then choose to accept, reject, or modify before these contributions become visible to the public."
All in all, a more sensible setup than Wikipedia. If people across the globe are posting opinions to your site, it's good to call them opinions. But Wikipedia has its advantages. Most notably, its easier to make fun of."
What the hell is going to be the difference between this and Wikipedia? I know anyone can edit Wikipedia, but it's not a horrible site- most of their info is accurate and with any website, you should cross reference your research! But why is Wikipedia laughable and this isn't?"Back in December, the search engine cum world power announced an anyone-can-edit... more
Google Inc. ha appena inaugurato Knol, un'enciclopedia creata dagli utenti che cerca di fare concorrenza a Wikipedia. Tuttavia, le differenze tra le due piattaforme sono notevoli e faranno sicuramente discutere.
Ecco le principali novità apportate da Knol:
- Il nome dell'autore di ogni articolo sarà in evidenza, con tanto di foto, bio, cariche e titoli di studio conseguiti;
- La collaborazione tra utenti è possibile, ma solo se autorizzata dall'autore originale;
- Si potranno trovare più articoli per lo stesso argomento, dando così voce a punti di vista diversi;
- L'autore può scegliere quali diritti applicare al proprio articolo (il classico "All rights reserved" o Creative Commons).
Credo che l'intento di Knol sia quello di unire lo spirito di Wikipedia all'affidabilità delle enciclopedie tradizionali. Una rivoluzione mica da poco.
Voi cosa ne pensate?Google Inc. ha appena inaugurato Knol, un'enciclopedia creata dagli utenti che... more
Google opened its website Knol to the public on Wednesday, allowing people to write about their areas of expertise under their bylines in a twist on encyclopedia Wikipedia, which allows anonymity.
"We are deeply convinced that authorship -- knowing who wrote what -- helps readers trust the content," said Cedric DuPont, product manager for Knol.
The name of the service is a play on an individual unit of knowledge, DuPont said, and entries on the public website, knol.google.com, are called "knols". Google conducted a limited test of the site beginning in December.
Knol has publishing tools similar to single blog pages. But unlike blogs, Knol encourages writers to reduce what they know about a topic to a single page that is not chronologically updated. Google opened its website Knol to the public on Wednesday, allowing people to write... more
