Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?

Subject: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 11:38 AM

I haven't decided if I like this or not, but it is interesting. Now you can add comments, in a sidebar, to any webpage you visit, if you add google's "SideWiki." Here's a youtube DEMO. You can also find more at google, of course. I'd be interested if any one has tried it and what you all think of it.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: GUEST,Shaneo
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 12:29 PM

Yes indeed you can add comments but when you do the very same search again it's only you that can see those comments, it's like a little reminder of what the website contains, whether you like it or not.
You can also promote a site you like to the top of the search list for the next time you go looking for the site,but again this only reflects your searches.
I have tried it and was impressed. Sometimes you search for something and the same sites come up on top even though you know they have not got what you were looking for because you have been to that site before, so you can demote them from future searches.

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 12:48 PM

"...when you do the very same search again it's only you that can see those comments"

But they say that everyone can see YOUR comments.

I have not tried it yet, but I already wonder what happens when the usual crowd starts adding nasty remarks about others' sites.

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 03:52 PM

Yes, Bill, that is my concern, too...maybe a pandora's box of facebook gone wild or something. Also, the samples I visited had the sidebars available for anyone to read, so not sure where you saw you were the only one to read your postings, Shaneo? In fact, it seems to me, the main reason they are pushing them is to stir up more users.

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: GUEST,Shaneo
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 05:02 PM

Ok. Katlaughing lets put it to the test, I just did a google search for The Leaving Of Liverpool and Wikipedia was the first result.
I posted a comment there, can you see what comment I posted ?

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: katlaughing
Date: 24 Sep 09 - 06:43 PM

Nope, I cannot, but I did download sidewiki and posted my own comment here, on the Mudcat, and it is available, BUT, I think only to folks who are signed into a google account and have the google toolbar which I am not crazy about.

Howsomever...your question is answered on THIS PAGE wherein they say (my emphasis):

What if everyone, from a local expert to a renowned doctor, had an easy way of sharing their insights with you about any page on the web? What if you could add your own insights for others who are passing through?

Now you can. Today, we're launching Google Sidewiki, which allows you to contribute helpful information next to any webpage. Google Sidewiki appears as a browser sidebar, where you can read and write entries along the side of the page.

In developing Sidewiki, we wanted to make sure that you'll see the most relevant entries first. We worked hard from the beginning to figure out which ones should appear on top and how to best order them. So instead of displaying the most recent entries first, we rank Sidewiki entries using an algorithm that promotes the most useful, high-quality entries. It takes into account feedback from you and other users, previous entries made by the same author and many other signals we developed. If you're curious, you can read more on our Google Research Blog about the infrastructure we use for ranking all entries in real-time.

Nice to see they are going to rank them and try to keep out the riff-raff.

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 01:52 PM

I don't like the sound of this.

Too much noise and you can't hear anything, and that's what this seems to be heading.

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: Bill D
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 03:07 PM

Google has a LOT of experimental ideas....some are fine, some are just weird.

http://www.googlelabs.com/

Subject: RE: Tech: Anyone tried Google SideWiki?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 25 Sep 09 - 04:16 PM

I love the Google Toolbar, Kat, but I do have to make it behave itself. I don't use all (or even most) of the features. Images, Groups, News, Froogle, Maps, Earth, GMail, and Spelling. I use the popup blocker all of the time.

SRS