Skip to main content

Is Quora going to make it?


Is Quora going to make it? They have got a good chance. Many Silicon Valley executives think they will. Is Quora going to contribute to the body of global knowledge? I am doubtful.

Like Wikipedia, Quora is a crowd sourcing platform that leverages users to do the work. Unlike Wikipedia, Quora is for profit. Its users work, not for the benefit of human knowledge but for the benefit of Benchmark Capital. It has a smart business model. Users answer questions to promote their online reputation as experts on a topic (guilty as charged, I do it too). Users also write questions because it is an easier way to show online presence than answering, it only takes a sentence or two.

People write questions to join the online clatter; usually they are not looking for answers. Also, in other search and answer websites like Answer.com or ehow.com the questions are simple, like “What is the best way to get from Philadelphia to NY?” Google “How”, “Philadelphia”, “NY”, and “travel” and you are likely to find this question. Questions on Quora are much longer and therefore the likelihood of finding a specific question by googling is much smaller. Quora will prove itself useful only when many of its users will actually use it to seek information.

Much of the same happens on Twitter, where every Tech-Crunch post on startup investments, acquisitions or ousting of a CEO immediately gets re-twitted thousands of times making an hyperbolic could of chatter. We get it, you are on top of things, and you have a RSS reader. At least Twitter has found a way to provide real value: Clover food trucks update their whereabouts on Twitter; Sarah Palin uses it to create new words in English; and Egyptians use it to stir a revolution. Time will tell if amid all the noise, Quora will provide value as well.

Finally, some related links:

Who decides what is true on Quora? http://chinacensorshipwatch.org/tag/quora

Some take it humorously http://www.quora.com/Whats-the-best-way-to-deal-with-guys-who-flirt-with-your-girlfriend-on-Quora

Me on Quora http://www.quora.com/Avi-Latner

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Metallurgist mods made with Sloyd

Name: Stonebreaker Description: The Stonebreaker is a massive broadsword forged for the Onarks , its chipped blade a testament to countless battles, capable of smashing through stone and armor with raw, unrelenting power. Name: Bloodreap Description: The Bloodreap is a hauntingly curved scythe favored by the Saängwyr , its blade eternally stained with blood, perfect for swift, lethal strikes that drain both life and vitality from its foes. Name: Gilded Terra Description: Forged by the royal ironsmith from rare earth materials and gold, the Gilded Terra channels the elemental mastery of the Horas , resonating with the raw power of earth and fire in every strike. Name: Verdant Sovereign Description: A masterfully crafted spear with an emerald blade, the Verdant Sovereign channels the ancient Nature Magic of the Elari , striking with both regal precision and elemental fury. Name: Stellar Edge Description: Crafted using advanced alien technology by the Tingava , the Stellar Edge ...
Post a Comment
Read more

10 Recommended Readings on Business and Policy

Piles of business and policy books are published every year. While almost any book has something worthwhile in it, only a small fraction are good. And for every profound idea there is a load of simplifications, unbiased assertions, after the fact reasoning and hype. When considering what to read I know what to avoid. For starters, I’d avoid anything with a title similar to this blog title – anything with a number in it: “365 days of success”, “8 new roles of money” (from the Kiyosaki who brought us rich dad poor dad) or “101 ways to turn your business around”. I also avoid biographies and autobiographies. They tend to present a simplified view where the fortunes of companies and nations are over attributed to one person. This view is misleading and even dangerous when people start believing in saviors and messiahs . Autobiographies have all the flaws of biographies and they are also biased and are too often just pure narcissism. Finally, I won’t read a book about a company written f...
3 comments
Read more

Pitfalls in Performance Based Bonuses

Performance based bonuses (PBB) is an effective management tool but quite often it causes unintentional effects. PBB are supposed to improve productivity by compensating employees according to their contribution to productivity. However organizations are complex systems and it is impossible to measure an employee’s contribution accurately. Companies are forced to use performance models that are a simplification of reality. As a result, employees are focused on maximizing performance under the model which not completely aligned with the benefit of the company. In banking, for example, the bonus models underemphasized risk, causing a worldwide catastrophe. Leaving the financial crisis aside, there are other common pitfalls. It is simple to construct performance-based contribution for sales representatives. The more they sell the more they earn – simple. It is much harder to construct a model for back-end functions, say an IS developer. This is where it gets messy. Measurement by schedul...
3 comments
Read more