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Wednesday, July 23, 2008
What do you Knol: Google’s newest offering
First there was Wikipedia, now there’s Knol.
Google just opened its own encyclopedia-like online site for user-generated content, which it is calling Knol (a unit of knowledge, as it explains).
Just like with Wikipedia, Knol lets users work together in what Google calls “moderated collaboration” on articles. But with Knol, edits or changes by others can first be vetted by the original author of a subject before the changes hit the Web.
Here’s the real Googlization (or more accurately, monetization) of Knol: Users can also include advertisements from Google’s AdSense program. If an author chooses to include ads, Google will give them a share of the proceeds of those ads.
In its public debut, Knol at the very least is a little prettier than Wikipedia and has some interesting starting topics. Featured “Knols” on the page Wednesday included a piece on “How to Backpack,” as well as articles on tooth pain, lung cancer and toilet clogs.
