“Keep Google Answers Alive” Petition
Google November 29th, 2006 - By Haochi
After learning Google’s devastating announcement on stop accepting new questions, David Huxley started a “Keep Google Answers Alive” petition on PetitionOnline.com. He wrote,
To: Google
The Google Answers service has helped many people during its four and a half years of existence, and it continues to do so. Researchers and unpaid commenters formed a community which should not be discarded lightly. Many repeat users were able to easily find answers to difficult questions thanks to the service. Furthermore, Google Answers proved that a living could be made working on the Internet alone, as many researchers worked on the site as their sole source of income.
We, the undersigned, believe that Google should continue to provide this valuable community service to the Internet.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
There are currently 147 signatures, including mine. If you want to sign the petition, you can do it here. Please take a few moment out of your busy day and Keep Google Answers Alive. Also check out Google Answer Researcher Mother911’s comment.
thanks James for the link.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
I’m proud to carry the title Google Answers Researcher. I’ve loved (nearly!) every minute of the past four years. It’s been wonderful helping so many people, and learning so much, myself, in the process.
I hope Google will reconsider its decision to ax this service. If their decision stands, I hope they will allow GA to remain posted, even if frozen in time as of 12/30/06.
My fellow researchers have created an incredible reference library. I’m sure that, even years from now, many surfers will be able to benefit from information found at GA.
My thanks to every single person who ever posted a question at GA. My colleagues and I are deeply grateful for your support and appreciation of our work.
November 29th, 2006 at 11:32 pm
I too have been proud to be a Google Answers Researcher, and am VERY saddened by it’s demise. Had Google promoted Google Answers it would have survived and even grown. Why Google chose not to promote and advertise is beyond me. Google Answers provided quality and well written answers, as opposed to other answer services. Ciao, Google Answers! Fondly, Crabcakes
November 30th, 2006 at 4:27 am
You should be proud, the answers on GA were amazing in their quality. It’s good that Google are preserving the Q&As and still providing access to them. It’s a most valuable resource.
Just in case the petition won’t work, I’d like to invite you folks to try out Yedda.
Yedda is a free service, but it provides great facilities for answerers - once you list your areas of interests and knowledge, you also say how many questions you’d like to receive and how often.
Yedda will then send you (through email, RSS or IM) the questions that fit your personal profile.
We’d love to see you folks over at Yedda, it’d be great to see you sharing your knowledge and helping in shaping Yedda!
November 30th, 2006 at 11:06 am
Just a quick update, there are now over 300 signatures, thank you all for your support. Please continue to show your support for a wonderful service.
December 1st, 2006 at 1:56 am
i think we should start a Google Groups
December 1st, 2006 at 10:37 am
Anyone interested in contacting or chatting up any of the researchers should probably drop in at http://groups.google.com/group/GAalumni and say hello, we are trying to spread the word and get the GARs and users alike to join up and keep our community alive.