Askville by Amazon

**efusco** · 04-10-2007, 10:19 AM

I got an e-mail from Amazon.com inviting me to participate in Askville, a resource promoted as providing "answers" to any question by live people.

To me the implication was that they had experts in multiple areas that would answer questions in their area of interest. I thought I'd post a simple question about Prius and whether it was a good choice. Turns out this is basicly an anything goes answers by anyone kind of thing. The first two responses I got were both full of incorrect information and recommendations for diesels as better choices.

I think we need to establish some sort of presence to be available to provide a bit more of a 'fair and balanced' response to genuine questions like this in the future.
http://askville.amazon.com/askville/Answer...questId=1710432

galaxee · 04-10-2007, 10:42 AM

i couldn't see the answers... but i guess my 2 cents is that you can't escape the fact that people are going to pawn off their opinion as fact, and back it up with a bunch of stuff they have made up or pulled from something like that cnw report or whatever.

there are a number of question-answer sites like this popping up now, and i see no experts anywhere.

Skwyre7 · 04-10-2007, 11:02 AM

I hope my answer was satisfactory.

thepixiesarah · 04-10-2007, 03:19 PM

I like to scan the prius questions on the Yahoo! Answers service. One poor girl asked how to start a prius and all four answers were to turn the key in the ignition...and I got there too late to answer. I don't understand people who like to talk to much that they'll give incorrect information.

HTMLSpinnr · 04-10-2007, 03:20 PM

When Amazon was beta testing it internally, it was no different. There is no requirement that the respondent be credentialed in the topic they're responding to. However respondents were encouraged to provide URL's or quotes (with references) where possible to back up answers. And of course... links to Amazon products were always encouraged as a way to "upsell".

JimN · 04-10-2007, 10:22 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(htmlspinnr @ Apr 10 2007, 03:20 PM) [snapback]420999[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

When Amazon was beta testing it internally, it was no different. There is no requirement that the respondent be credentialed in the topic they're responding to. [/b]

IMO this site isn't officially any better. The only reason it is better is because it is populated by people who are more knowledgeable and are willing to share it.

**efusco** · 04-10-2007, 10:41 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Apr 10 2007, 10:22 PM) [snapback]421280[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

IMO this site isn't officially any better. The only reason it is better is because it is populated by people who are more knowledgeable and are willing to share it. [/b]

Huh! First sentence you say this site isn't better, second you say it is.

The point is that when someone comes here for an answer they're asking a group of people with specific and deep knowledge of the subject. They may get a variety of opinions from this group, but we'll temper and correct one another, provide good links, offer counter arguements to misinformation and generally reach a well informed concensus.

The Amazon type site is wide open to any yahoo that read an out of date article, formed an opinion and quit thinking about the subject any further after that, but who likes to pontificate their ignorance none the less.

No one is saying that opinions are bad, but they need to be informed. When a site promotes itself as a source for "Answers" (presumably accurate ones) you'd hope there'd be some sort of screening process to assure that those submitting answers are speaking from a position of knowledge, not one of ignorance.

HTMLSpinnr · 04-11-2007, 12:19 AM

I "attempted" to answer the question a bit more fairly. Probably didn't help in the end though. There's a bio-diesel zealot lurking in the comments though who won't hesitate to point out every flaw in the Prius to make his TDI look better ;-)

Bill Merchant · 04-11-2007, 12:35 AM

Fortunately, I am saved.

[attachmentid=7429]

Godiva · 04-11-2007, 01:49 AM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Bill Merchant @ Apr 11 2007, 12:35 AM) [snapback]421335[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Fortunately, I am saved.

[attachmentid=7429]
[/b]

I got the same thing.

04-10-2007, 10:19 AM	#1
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 17,736 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 66 Thanked 381 Times in 229 Posts Friends: 40	I got an e-mail from Amazon.com inviting me to participate in Askville, a resource promoted as providing "answers" to any question by live people. To me the implication was that they had experts in multiple areas that would answer questions in their area of interest. I thought I'd post a simple question about Prius and whether it was a good choice. Turns out this is basicly an anything goes answers by anyone kind of thing. The first two responses I got were both full of incorrect information and recommendations for diesels as better choices. I think we need to establish some sort of presence to be available to provide a bit more of a 'fair and balanced' response to genuine questions like this in the future. http://askville.amazon.com/askville/Answer...questId=1710432 __________________ Evan E. Fusco, MD "It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word." -Andrew Jackson

04-11-2007, 12:35 AM	#9
Bill Merchant absit invidia Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA \| Oregon \| Portland area \| 97004 \| Posts: 4,095 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #5 Thanks: 18 Thanked 16 Times in 13 Posts Friends: 62	Fortunately, I am saved. [attachmentid=7429] Attached Thumbnails

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04-10-2007, 10:42 AM	#2
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: south of lake Michigan Posts: 9,721 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 122 Times in 48 Posts Friends: 26	i couldn't see the answers... but i guess my 2 cents is that you can't escape the fact that people are going to pawn off their opinion as fact, and back it up with a bunch of stuff they have made up or pulled from something like that cnw report or whatever. there are a number of question-answer sites like this popping up now, and i see no experts anywhere.

04-10-2007, 11:02 AM	#3
Skwyre7 What's the catch? Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Richmond, Virginia Posts: 2,332 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post Friends: 2	I hope my answer was satisfactory.

04-10-2007, 03:19 PM	#4
thepixiesarah Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 28 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I like to scan the prius questions on the Yahoo! Answers service. One poor girl asked how to start a prius and all four answers were to turn the key in the ignition...and I got there too late to answer. I don't understand people who like to talk to much that they'll give incorrect information.

04-10-2007, 03:20 PM	#5
HTMLSpinnr Gen III Forums Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 4,292 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 262 Thanked 492 Times in 227 Posts Friends: 18	When Amazon was beta testing it internally, it was no different. There is no requirement that the respondent be credentialed in the topic they're responding to. However respondents were encouraged to provide URL's or quotes (with references) where possible to back up answers. And of course... links to Amazon products were always encouraged as a way to "upsell".

04-11-2007, 12:19 AM	#8
HTMLSpinnr Gen III Forums Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 4,292 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 262 Thanked 492 Times in 227 Posts Friends: 18	I "attempted" to answer the question a bit more fairly. Probably didn't help in the end though. There's a bio-diesel zealot lurking in the comments though who won't hesitate to point out every flaw in the Prius to make his TDI look better ;-)