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How does Mahalo Answers have such high standards compared to Yahoo! Answers? (see details)
Fun:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoMPaDrcsOSiVUY6w_wYr.0jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090307033537AAarjg7
More fun:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071126204510AAiq8EU
And fu... wait.. what the hell?:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlQkfS0diqkbPN7qVdgmBaUjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070920141947AAQOSgb
And just had to add this one:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhB1bYAs6s7Z5O74Rxilx6UjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20060913080320AA35zM7
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoMPaDrcsOSiVUY6w_wYr.0jzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20090307033537AAarjg7
More fun:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071126204510AAiq8EU
And fu... wait.. what the hell?:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlQkfS0diqkbPN7qVdgmBaUjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20070920141947AAQOSgb
And just had to add this one:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhB1bYAs6s7Z5O74Rxilx6UjzKIX;_ylv=3?qid=20060913080320AA35zM7
voted interesting: jasoncalacanis
answers (8)
It's all about expectations. When you come to the Mahalo Answers community, it is obvious that well-researched, high-quality answers are what is expected here. If anything else is provided (silly, off-topic, unintelligble, etc.), it will either be removed quickly or receive comments and unhelpful ratings to let that user know what they did wrong.
In contrast, jokey, non-researched, and just plain incorrect answers are not only allowed, but encouraged on Yahoo Answers. The Yahoo Answers community is massive, which obviously makes it more difficult to police. However, they seem to be more concerned with quantity than quality. A lot of their time is devoted to removing duplicate questions and vulgarity.
Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of intelligent and helpful people that answer questions on Yahoo Answers. The problem is that they have to wade through so many terrible questions to find those they want to answer. Now, we just need to find a way to recruit some of those people to Mahalo...
In contrast, jokey, non-researched, and just plain incorrect answers are not only allowed, but encouraged on Yahoo Answers. The Yahoo Answers community is massive, which obviously makes it more difficult to police. However, they seem to be more concerned with quantity than quality. A lot of their time is devoted to removing duplicate questions and vulgarity.
Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of intelligent and helpful people that answer questions on Yahoo Answers. The problem is that they have to wade through so many terrible questions to find those they want to answer. Now, we just need to find a way to recruit some of those people to Mahalo...
| Asker's rating: |
There were many great answers. Thank you all.
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
Well it's the community of course. The users here just happen to be that much of a higher caliber, we also happen to have some moderators who watch incoming questions and remove the silly/stupid/obscene ones.
Maybe also the drive for the possibility of earning some money makes the answerers actually put effort into their work as well.
Maybe also the drive for the possibility of earning some money makes the answerers actually put effort into their work as well.
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
Certainly the moderators like @mike and @jeffhoard do a wonderful job of getting rid of bad behavior. Additionally, our core community of "upper belts" do an EXCELLENT job of a) reporting bad behavior and b) letting folks know what the community expectations are at Mahalo.
Our biggest strength is our community.
Our biggest strength is our community.
I'm afraid having high standards compared to Yahoo Answers is a bit like having strong ethics compared to Bernie Madoff.
How could it not? :)
The slightly more serious answer, which I daresay Jason or others will pitch in with, is the quality of the community, and the efforts put into removing junk.
However, "a lot better than Yahoo Answers" is not exactly a ringing endorsement in my book, and I want to see MA aim rather higher than that benchmark!
How could it not? :)
The slightly more serious answer, which I daresay Jason or others will pitch in with, is the quality of the community, and the efforts put into removing junk.
However, "a lot better than Yahoo Answers" is not exactly a ringing endorsement in my book, and I want to see MA aim rather higher than that benchmark!
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
I'm starting to worry about religion zealots. This is very bad for a knowledge based website because they spread ignorance instead of giving a different approach. Specially in science related questions. What is going to happen next? Start saying that condoms do not help to prevent HIV transmision?
Nushka, it is difficult not to take some things personally. If yesterday was eBook Day, today is turning into God Day. I already got my first "unhelpful answer" today so now I am at 99:1, but I bet, I BET it was one of those religious questions =) But I think with things we take personally (like, ostensibly, religion), people tend to come out of their shells a bit, and I am just as much to blame. I am afraid sometimes that my comments probably come off a bit too much like a jerk. From what I have seen, I don't think we have to worry about our community allowing the type of thing you reference, regardless of any sorts of bias.
@mrnemo - your two "unhelpful" answers are http://www.mahalo.com/answers/mahalo-answers-technical-issues/if-i-select-no-best-answer-after-3-days-can-i-still-get-a-full-refund-i-would-like-to-leave-my-question-and-tip-out-there-longer-but and http://www.mahalo.com/answers/business/whats-a-good-pr-agency-that-can-help-my-upcoming-web-startup
I think @mrnemo's point is good. I assume no one thinks that all religious people are ignorant and "very bad for a knowledge based website." The religious discussions were in response to questions about God, so it would be odd if the answers weren't about religion.
I agree with that: Yahoo Answers is *not* a high standard.
Not to be mean but the average Yahoo user is not the average Mahalo user.
Lots of people are on Yahoo simply because it's set to their home page by the computer manufacturer or by some piece of software they use.
Just my opinion.
Good Luck with your answers!
Lots of people are on Yahoo simply because it's set to their home page by the computer manufacturer or by some piece of software they use.
Just my opinion.
Good Luck with your answers!
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
Additonally, Mahalo will "vanish" answers that are not satisfactory enough, "vanish" questions that are not suitable to the community - and "vanish" the members that are contributing or asking these poor answers/questions - and of course, Mahalo will give them chances - but if they don't change their attitude, that is the last Mahalo will see of them.
I will say that Mahalo isn't as popular as Yahoo Answers - and in Yahoo Answers, it has a reputation of asking whatever you want. Of course, in recent days, I have noticed Mahalo's style of questions slipping - without using capital letters at the beginning, or too much CAPS LOCK in the question. It makes us (the community) seem poor.
The junk disappears and all that is left is us. It is like we have been selected to answer and ask questions!
"vanish" - a word that @jasoncalacanis loves to say and something Mahalo Answers does a lot of.
http://www.creativestream.co.uk/UserFiles/Image/standing_out_large.jpg
By not asking or answering to the standards of Mahalo - you stand out of the crowd.
I will say that Mahalo isn't as popular as Yahoo Answers - and in Yahoo Answers, it has a reputation of asking whatever you want. Of course, in recent days, I have noticed Mahalo's style of questions slipping - without using capital letters at the beginning, or too much CAPS LOCK in the question. It makes us (the community) seem poor.
The junk disappears and all that is left is us. It is like we have been selected to answer and ask questions!
"vanish" - a word that @jasoncalacanis loves to say and something Mahalo Answers does a lot of.
By not asking or answering to the standards of Mahalo - you stand out of the crowd.
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
We need to help folks with their grammar and spelling I agree. As we get bigger we are having a harder time editing questions for grammar/spelling. We are going to start a "grammar patrol" at some point. These folks will have the very serious power of being able to edit a question OR answer for grammar like our internal staff does.
We need to pick the very best people for this, because it would be bad for us to edit for content. If I see a spelling error or a capitalization issue I manually fix it for folks.
We need to pick the very best people for this, because it would be bad for us to edit for content. If I see a spelling error or a capitalization issue I manually fix it for folks.
Everything on Web is making money. Facebook is billionaire,Same profit: MySpace, Yahoo, Google. Mahalo answers makes money with the same technique. More users is more money. Different people is different Q&A.
Yahoo is one category, Mahalo is another.
Yahoo is one category, Mahalo is another.
voted helpful: karj
voted unhelpful: philipy, jasoncalacanis
Though your question links points out some low standard answers in yahoo, I found many good answers in yahoo answers as well. It depends when more people joins Mahalo (whether Mahalo can maintain its high quality answers).
source(s):
Browsing yahoo answers and Mahalo Answers
Browsing yahoo answers and Mahalo Answers
Check out 'This Week in Law' a podcast from the TWiT network. The discussion was about civility on the internet. Jason Calacanis made some interesting point, but also talked about how Mahalo Answers is moderated. Dumb/inappropriate questions and answers removed. Yahoo! Answers on the other hand is not moderated very well, if at all. They are also very unresponsive to questions and don't bother to give explanations for their actions. Which, essentially leads to a free-for-all.
http://twit.cachefly.net/TWiL-022.mp3
http://twit.cachefly.net/TWiL-022.mp3
voted helpful: jasoncalacanis
Thanks for listing this podcast @hcp56!
Yes, my opinion is that HEAVY moderation of bad behavior and LIGHT suggestions of poor quality is a critical to our continued success.
Yes, my opinion is that HEAVY moderation of bad behavior and LIGHT suggestions of poor quality is a critical to our continued success.
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