Google's Answer to Wikipedia launching in 2008

When Knol was announced on December 13, it was as if a lightning bolt hit us. We didn't have any info about knol, and were shocked because it was uncannily similar, almost identical to Qassia, which by then almost ready for release but not online. It was as if our project somehow got sucked out of our laptops and onto the Google blog.

1. We used the term "intel" (for intelligence), to describe tidbits of info. Google coined "knol" (for knowledge).

2. Google have a "peer-review" process. We have "screenings".

3. We talk about "crediting contributors." Google talk about "highlighting authors".

And so on.

We thought the timing of Google's announcement was odd. It was just before Christmas. Who wants to release a project just before the holidays? People won't be around. We speculated they were building buzz prior to a post-Xmas release.

So we scrambled like mad to beat Google's release. We were successful, it seems - we launched on January 4, albeit private beta. Google claim that their knol is in beta, but it's an awfully quiet beta.

Apparently someone leaked info about knol, so that's why they had to push forward the announcement. Probably - hopefully - they won't release for months, by which time Qassia will be dominant and knol will have to play catch-up.

Either way, it's kinda fun to be competing against Google. We never thought that would happen.

 

look at google base, or google checkout. these are not the dominant products in their respective markets. But google wants to put their foot in the door. google won't release their encyclopedia thinking it will destroy wikipedia in one day. but being how well wiki ranks in their searches, and that they tried to buy wiki this year (and failed) it only makes sense that they lay the groundwork for a competing product.

 

prolly the most easiest and sensible name to start with. why fight a rat's race for domains?

 

It looks like Knol may be the permanent name for the Google wiki, as they are still calling it that on their site. I have checked some of the other recommended ones and it looks like many are taken. Factpedia.com has already been taken.

 

Clearly Gpedia

 

I hope I can get on it early so I can nab the pages that are destined to receive high traffic....