The articles of the draft encyclopedia are written by registered users on Google, they can write them on an individual basis or by allowing the collective edition of the same. To do this, once created an article on the platform, its authors may decide whether the text can be edited by other users or not.

However, the Internet is not the only way that you have to admit Knol texts, as the service allows you to write articles from the publisher online with that account, or conducting an import from a text file. Currently, the DOC and PDF formats are the only ones allowed in this operation, is now out of the Open Document standard.

Encyclopedia with ads

To encourage the use of Knol, Google has offered to authors the ability to insert targeted ads in the articles of the AdWords advertising network, owned. Thus, the authors receive a percentage of the profits generated by each of the items they have created. The only condition to be able to use this option, is that the user should be given high in the advertising platform for webmasters Adsense. This method of business is the same as that used Google in its full service network.

But this is not the only incentive offered by the search engine: another way of rewarding the author is giving weight to each of their texts by quality, so that they can soon be found by the search engines and read by more people. Thus indirectly also encourages the economic dimension, since the more readers will be more likely to use advertising-related content.

To be user Knol, it is necessary to sign with the name and surname. To that end, Google checks the accuracy of the real names of each registered user. The main method for this is to make a phone call and indicate a number key.

Google has also implemented a second method that works through the credit card. Users must provide data to one of their cards so that Google check with the bank. However, it is not required to register any trade, since Google is only served from banking platforms for verification of data.
Copyleft licenses

Regarding the license, Knol used by default, a Copyleft license for the content created by users. This is a Creative Commons license Atribution 3.0, which allows the use on other websites provided that the text is attributed to the original author and distributed using the same license. If a user wants to change the type of license can select another, including a more traditional copyright license.

During the first few months, the texts in Knol will be available in English and mainly for the United States. However, little by little is expected to add new languages and countries to the platform, though still not Castilian. This is due to the type of product, where it is necessary to ascertain the real identity of each user and admit it into the Google advertising system, so that each local office of the company must take charge of development in each country.

I recently read in an issue of The Economist that Google will soon launch “Knol”, which many experts consider to be a competitor to Wikipedia. After reading the wiki Knol (ironic, is not it?) Here are some of my observations:

* The visual quality of a Knol is much more attractive than the wiki. It looks much more “encyclopedia”-as
* I have been saddened by Originally, the idea of a competitor wiki. It is already so much knowledge in Wikipedia that I believe this would be much more beneficial to add or verify existing references that the creation of more than nothing.
* I would have preferred for Google to buy Wikipedia that compete with it. Although I am a strong supporter of the idea that competition is good, open from Wikipedia on the nature provides for an infinite amount of competition.
* Knols will be written by one author and can not be changed unless approved by the author. I think it will prevent the openness and democratic nature of wikis. Although this detail could be beneficial to medical science and communities, it would cause problems with politics and current events.
* There may be many articles. This will not only cause confusion, but it will force users to visit more than one page is simply to find information on a certain subject.
* Authors win a game ads on their Knol. Although this will motivate common citizens and professionals to contribute to the system, it could effect their ability to write balanced. Authors would not be more concerned with the sales rank of ads that serve the research community information. The quality of articles, I believe, will be made once authors are concerned with search terms.

Let’s see. Until now, Google has not failed me.

As can be seen from the capture, one of the hallmarks of the project is that each article will be closely linked to the author, who gets the credit for his work. The idea is that whoever becomes aware that the content is not good can write another on the same topic and compete, and the reviews and ratings for the readers decide which is better. Ojo, the authors may put AdSense on the pages of his articles in Knol.

The project is to build a highly focused Wikipedia, an encyclopedia of all human knowledge from a different approach, much more based on experts who speak with authority that collaboration of anonymous users. Knol has common features with projects like Citizendium or even Mahalo.

My first impression is that I like Knol between little and nothing. I think Google accounts have been “send a lot of traffic to Wikipedia with which we do not make money, so I believe we all stay at home and” I like much more the idea that each expert writes in his own web , with its own domain and its own hosting (and the publicity given the win, not necessarily with Google). Controlling the largest redirector traffic in the world - its search engine - the power to impose this tool on wikipedia or other projects (Mahalo own, we created pages each) is brutal. And they do it with Youtube appearing in search results and now we are going to do Knol. That it is abusing its dominance in a market for assaulting another.

A tool for clustering YouTube
YouTube has added an interesting feature: open a clip, and then switch to full screen mode … Go to the end of the video. An animation will begin and display a clustering tool that allows you to explore other videos. It’s pretty amazing!
(Via Googlified)

Blogs will be part of the universal search
Marissa has announced that blogs will be indexed to the search results as well as images, news, books, videos and maps Google Maps. To better understand the possible implications, you can enter a search as a “bush” in Google France and then in the international version of Google. In the latter case, you will have those other links that will appear in the blue bar: Web, News, Music, Video, Images, Groups and Blogs. One can imagine that the latter suggestion will be extended to a larger number of motions or that the blogosphere would be “OneBox” dedicated.
(Via PC Magazine)

Google Zeitgest: the 2007 vintage
Google Zeitgest has just published its ranking for the year 2007. There are quarterly statistics, but also the most spectacular progressions and descents into hell the most notable.
The button Newsmaker list news most often searched, the most watched trials, as well as the presidential candidate receiving the most votes on the Internet.
There is also a special classification “Showbiz” and also a contest between the high-tech gadgets the most coveted. I love the “top 10″ research that can be accessed by clicking on Top of Mind. This is an excellent opportunity to engage in a little exploration of America’s lighthouses with questions like: “how to kiss,” “who is jesus’ and ‘who is satan.” It’s worth all the sociological analyses!

Google zeitgest 2007
New data for Google Earth Outreach
The program is supported by Google Earth allows other non-profit associations to share information, raise awareness of their activities, and possibly collect donations. The Blog Lat Long list some of the most interesting projects that you can view in Google Earth:
An inventory of endangered species;
A view of pollution sources largest in Australia;
A study on the life of a population of elephants in a national park in Chad;
An animation showing the development of the avian flu epidemic in the world.
It’s really very informative!

The system makes Wikipedia entire user community publishers, but Google appears that the system has not convinced all, and have opted for a mixed model. The first version of Knol (the term ‘knowledge’ knowledge), which is now operational, is only available in beta closed, but soon will be open to the general public.

Udi Manber, one of those responsible for the project, says that “the key idea behind Knol is to give importance to the authors.” The articles will be accompanied by a card in which the words of the author of the article and his credentials, but what kind of control will take on the veracity of the same?

Some believe that the emphasis on the allocation of responsibilities will improve the model of Wikipedia, a project that has been hit by scandals modification of information to meet business and personal interests, and the idea is that Knol such errors do not occur .

In fact, as always, have already begun to invite a selected group of people to test the BETA of this new tool “Google Knol”, in order to encourage people who know a subject to write an article about it . The tool is under development and this is the first phase of testing that can be used only by invitation.

The key idea is to highlight the authors, the projects are authors, the authors have books, articles have authors, and on the web also want to stress to authors, so users can make better use of the contents of the website. Google offers easy-to-use tools for writing, editing, as well as hosting the content and writers just have to write.

At the same time Google Knol take tools community. People may send comments, questions, edit, add additional content, and so on. Anyone can rate a Knol or write an analysis on it. Knols also include references or links to additional information.

When finalize testing will open participation but we can not expect that all the content is of high quality, it will be interesting to see hsata that this control point. Then a photo of the preliminary version:

The idea is, unlike what happens in Wikipedia, develop content in principle by persons knowledgeable of the subject. With name of who is the author, with the possibility to express their views, unlike Wikipedia that seeks neutrality.

Therefore, on each specific topic will be a wide range of information, views and opinions differ. In addition the authors may include its own advertising spreading apparently 50% of the revenue with Google.

So far only a few lucky ones are having the opportunity to try. The question is, can be a threat to Wikipedia? Personally I think that can coexist perfectly, if I seek objective information to know where to go, and if I look for subjectivity now I can go to Knol. But Google may not think the same thing and promote their product or harming Wikipedia searches. What we think will happen?

Google Knol Signals the Apogee of Google’s Hegemony..Google has peaked. Their hegemony has reached apogee. (No, not Apogee.) I’m stunned reading about Google Knol today. Why? The Google Knol announcement means one of two scenarios for Google vía Apogee

From what we know so far, Knol is a wiki-like platform. Authors can create topics, and there are tools to interlink articles and content, but as Manber says, an article, or “knol,” is “just a Web page.” Where it differs from a wiki is its focus on the author. All knols will highlight who wrote them… CNET

Knol, just announced a the official Google blog, is a currently private, invitation-only knowledge sharing service. Google says that a Knol is a unit of knowledge,”* and in the style of the old-school About.com website, experts are invited to the service to write an introductory article on a subject of their expertise. Google wants to provide all the tools to write this, and host the content and so on, so that experts can focus just on the content… SearchNewz