yahoo answers

[cazzz1975]

it has some great idea's but there is just something about it, has anyone tried it and what did you think?

[ummmm]

Never tried it. Seen links to it posted here...but as this layout is better I just stuck with AB.

[cazzz1975]

I have tried it and it has some excellent idea's to encourage answering questions and generally be helpful , but there is something about it, I suppose its linking up with yahoo makes is cumbersome to use and the volume of questions seem never ending.

[micmak]

I've been on there a few times, I think it's mainly young people. You ask a serious question and get really foolish answers. You can't 'talk' to people like you can on here. Ask your Q and wait for any answers.

[cazzz1975]

also there is a heavy US presence which isnt a bad thing but can make the site feel a little alien when you are used to a mainly uk audience

[notasyoungasiwas]

I've never heard of it before, so I've just checked it. I much prefer the layout of answerbank and don't think I'll be switching loyalties !

[cazzz1975]

agree there micmak, you can converse in these threads but you cant really do that on yahoo

[ummmm]

What do they do to encourage answers?

[emmie]

It gets heated, just like here!!

[cazzz1975]

you get points for answering questions and you can have "fans" they use a private msging system and you can use an avatar from the outset.

your replies can get thumbs up or thumbs down which can give you points I think, they also have a top ten contributor in each section. so as an answerer I suppose it makes you feel more valued.

but it just seems a little sterile

[notasyoungasiwas]

Blimey I couldn't be bothered with all that !

[cazzz1975]

I think they are quite strict over there, when your typig a reply is pulls you up on your spelling, there is also a preview option which is useful before submitting.

[cazzz1975]

typing

[ummmm]

I like the thumbs up idea...

[bookbinder]

I look at it now and again, to answer questions, mainly. I did once ask a question, and I got some good and helpful answers. If you could give a bit more detail on your 'just something about it', that would be helpful. The response time on Y!A is nowhere near as fast as it is here on AB. An asker can wait hours, if not days, for an answer, and when it comes it's as likely as not to be unhelpful, rude, just plain wrong, or misleading. Answerers on Y!A get points for answering, which detracts from the 'ethos' of the question-and-answer format. Here on AB I find a more friendly atmosphere, less bad language or suggestive remarks than there is on Y!A. I try to pick genuine questions to answer, and some of the askers do seem to be grateful for help, but there's a lot of people there who spoil things by being rude, ungrateful, or just plain abusive. To sum up, the points system spoils things on Yahoo Answers, because some answerers are interested only in racking up points, and for what? There are no tangible rewards for points. If I can help someone who really seems to be stuck on some point of knowledge, and I get a thank you for it, that suits me.

[cazzz1975]

lol you can ignore all the point stuff as well, I just think for all the good features thee is nothing that pulls me to looking at the site regularly

[ummmm]

Do you get suspended on Yahoo?

[emmie]

once you get x thousands of points, you become a top contributor, doesn't get you anything, but say something wrong, out you go, and back to square one if you can be bothered.

[cazzz1975]

ah I see bookbinder, for me I suppose I think the friendliness is lacking over there I agree and maybe that is because answerbank is a smaller site, I also felt that the q and A is an all or nothing deal where you couldnt discuss the question over a period of pages (though im aware that some qs have 60 odd replies)
maybe they should only reward points for "best answer" rather than points just for replying?

[Maydup]

I popped over to have a look and I found a bunch of 13 year olds wanting to know about becoming child actors for disney! I scuttled back here pretty quick!

[cazzz1975]

lol maidup, I think its possibly too big and faceless as a q&a site, AB has a friendliness in its smaller size.