Comments on: MIT Tech Review: Worst review of the Best Q&A Sites http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/ Media, Marketing, Technology, and a tune-up Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:07:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: joel http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-78731 joel Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:34:26 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-78731 If you read the article, you'll see that I was criticizing their methodology in evaluating all of the Q&A sites, not just Answerbag, and I wasn't blindly ignoring AB's faults, either. The review should just have been more scientifically performed in order to be able to draw any real conclusions. Your critique of Answerbag is certainly valid. It is probably the hardest thing for any online community to do to establish decency standards that are accepted by the majority of its members. It's virtually impossible to draw any line that lets you judge decent from indecent material because everyone's view of that material is different, so AB tries to be lenient with content like this unless it uses a word that has been deemed a curseword or the content is a personal attack. The third question you list there, for instance, is a very valid medical question that, while you may find offensive, could be very helpful to someone else, so there's no way I would recommend taking that one down. The other three, while not helpful really, aren't truly offensive to most AB members, so they remain up. Feel free to flag them as offensive though - that's what the flagging system is for. Every community is different, so I'd heartily encourage you to find a community whose moderation standards are closer to your own. We try to make AB a helpful place for as many people as possible, but, as they say, you can't please everyone. In case you aren't aware, by the way, I am no longer running Answerbag. I left Demand Media in December. Best, Joel If you read the article, you’ll see that I was criticizing their methodology in evaluating all of the Q&A sites, not just Answerbag, and I wasn’t blindly ignoring AB’s faults, either. The review should just have been more scientifically performed in order to be able to draw any real conclusions.

Your critique of Answerbag is certainly valid. It is probably the hardest thing for any online community to do to establish decency standards that are accepted by the majority of its members. It’s virtually impossible to draw any line that lets you judge decent from indecent material because everyone’s view of that material is different, so AB tries to be lenient with content like this unless it uses a word that has been deemed a curseword or the content is a personal attack. The third question you list there, for instance, is a very valid medical question that, while you may find offensive, could be very helpful to someone else, so there’s no way I would recommend taking that one down. The other three, while not helpful really, aren’t truly offensive to most AB members, so they remain up. Feel free to flag them as offensive though - that’s what the flagging system is for.

Every community is different, so I’d heartily encourage you to find a community whose moderation standards are closer to your own. We try to make AB a helpful place for as many people as possible, but, as they say, you can’t please everyone.

In case you aren’t aware, by the way, I am no longer running Answerbag. I left Demand Media in December.

Best,
Joel

]]> By: Willow Smith http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-78724 Willow Smith Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:47:54 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-78724 Joel: You should learn to take criticism in an intelligent manner instead of attacking those who rate and criticize your site. I am an ex user of your site, I was not kicked out or banned I simply left because I was sick of it. Do you believe it is fair to have questions like: Do you eat your poop? Has anyone ever fart in your mouth? Will I get sick if I swallow vaginal fluids? Where can I buy shrooms? Of course I never answered such questions. You know name calling in your site is out of hand, the horrible and insolent language that is used by your members towards others is absolutely appalling. What has AB Administration done about this? Nothing at all. What have the Community Leaders done to install some order in your site? Nothing. This is why the good askers and answerers have left your site and are still leaving as I have seen them elsewhere. Learn from criticism don't attack it is to no avail. I am preparing a Blog on AB, you will get harshly beaten up and I am sorry but your site is a scam only good for alcoholics, drug addicts and those with PTSD or similar. I have been waiting before I post the blog, I was hoping something would change but unfortunately it is getting worse by the day. Willow Joel:
You should learn to take criticism in an intelligent manner instead of attacking those who rate and criticize your site. I am an ex user of your site, I was not kicked out or banned I simply left because I was sick of it.

Do you believe it is fair to have questions like:
Do you eat your poop?
Has anyone ever fart in your mouth?
Will I get sick if I swallow vaginal fluids?
Where can I buy shrooms?
Of course I never answered such questions.

You know name calling in your site is out of hand, the horrible and insolent language that is used by your members towards others is absolutely appalling. What has AB Administration done about this? Nothing at all. What have the Community Leaders done to install some order in your site? Nothing.

This is why the good askers and answerers have left your site and are still leaving as I have seen them elsewhere. Learn from criticism don’t attack it is to no avail. I am preparing a Blog on AB, you will get harshly beaten up and I am sorry but your site is a scam only good for alcoholics, drug addicts and those with PTSD or similar. I have been waiting before I post the blog, I was hoping something would change but unfortunately it is getting worse by the day.

Willow

]]> By: Cory http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24499 Cory Thu, 08 Mar 2007 05:25:09 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24499 Interesting stuff, Joel. Interesting stuff, Joel.

]]> By: joel http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24075 joel Sat, 03 Mar 2007 03:26:21 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24075 Regardless of MIT's actual involvement in producing the magazine, they have lent their brand and therefore their reputation, to the publication. I never did say anything negative about MIT itself - I thought I was pretty careful to point out that it was MIT-TR that was at fault, and that they were doing a disservice to the MIT brand that they represent. Regardless of MIT’s actual involvement in producing the magazine, they have lent their brand and therefore their reputation, to the publication. I never did say anything negative about MIT itself - I thought I was pretty careful to point out that it was MIT-TR that was at fault, and that they were doing a disservice to the MIT brand that they represent.

]]> By: Andy http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24071 Andy Fri, 02 Mar 2007 20:54:12 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-24071 I think it's unfair to say "I expected better from MIT". MIT is only affiliated with Tech Review, it doesn't run it. The magazine's offices is not on campus, and no MIT academic takes part in the publication process. It's basically a convenient venue for MIT to keep in touch with us, the alums (hence the class notes at the end) -- and in exchange, MIT lets the magazine put their name on the cover. I think it’s unfair to say “I expected better from MIT”. MIT is only affiliated with Tech Review, it doesn’t run it. The magazine’s offices is not on campus, and no MIT academic takes part in the publication process. It’s basically a convenient venue for MIT to keep in touch with us, the alums (hence the class notes at the end) — and in exchange, MIT lets the magazine put their name on the cover.

]]> By: MIT Tech Review - Go back to journalism school | LifeTextLinks.com http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-22023 MIT Tech Review - Go back to journalism school | LifeTextLinks.com Sat, 20 Jan 2007 21:18:40 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-22023 [...] Original post by joel and software by Elliott Back [...] [...] Original post by joel and software by Elliott Back [...]

]]> By: peter b http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21951 peter b Thu, 18 Jan 2007 05:16:11 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21951 Just saw this post and thought about your comments about iPhone... http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/steve_jobs_iphone_not_opening_up.php Check out the photo of the suspended in mid air iPhone -- the touch screen safely protected inside a glass cylinder!!!! Oh... the power and the glory... nobody does it like Steve Jobs does it. Just saw this post and thought about your comments about iPhone…

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/steve_jobs_iphone_not_opening_up.php

Check out the photo of the suspended in mid air iPhone — the touch screen safely protected inside a glass cylinder!!!! Oh… the power and the glory… nobody does it like Steve Jobs does it.

]]> By: joel http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21937 joel Wed, 17 Jan 2007 20:11:42 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21937 I agree that it's about mindshare: I think journalists have a natural tendency to give more credence to big names. But if they really thought they were going to get more views by hyping the big names, they never would have included Anwerbag, Wondir, or Yedda. They could easily have written a review with just the "big guys" and gotten the same number of readers. I think you're right that our score would have been higher if we were part of a bigger name company. I still do, perhaps idealistically, cling to the basic tenet of journalism that sales and editorial are in no way related. Maybe I'm out of date in holding to this belief. I agree that it’s about mindshare: I think journalists have a natural tendency to give more credence to big names. But if they really thought they were going to get more views by hyping the big names, they never would have included Anwerbag, Wondir, or Yedda. They could easily have written a review with just the “big guys” and gotten the same number of readers. I think you’re right that our score would have been higher if we were part of a bigger name company.

I still do, perhaps idealistically, cling to the basic tenet of journalism that sales and editorial are in no way related. Maybe I’m out of date in holding to this belief.

]]> By: peter b http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21917 peter b Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:51:57 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21917 PS -- sorry Joel -- I'm on a roll -- but here's my conjecture -- if Google or MS or possibly IAC bought AB -- AB's MIT score would at least double. PS — sorry Joel — I’m on a roll — but here’s my conjecture — if Google or MS or possibly IAC bought AB — AB’s MIT score would at least double.

]]> By: peter b http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21916 peter b Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:45:05 +0000 http://joeldowns.com/2007/01/12/mit-tech-review-go-back-to-journalism-school/#comment-21916 Joel -- it's a matter of opinion -- the only news about iphone is that what's been rumoured for 1/2 a year has finally been announced. That's the definition of hype. Like you said -- it's cool -- and it's what people want to read... are you telling me the same "cool factor" isn't at play in discussions about social q&a sites? Music playing phones have been around for awhile now, and touch screens have been around for at least 15 years -- cool -- Apple added 1+1... big deal! If advertising doesn't affect peoples views -- why do companies advertise???? I can't believe that journalists are somehow immune to its effects. Especially, when it's advertisers that are paying their salaries. It's about mindshare, not editorial policy. Bottom line is -- you are right -- the MIT article is bad writing -- we have different views as to what caused it. Joel — it’s a matter of opinion — the only news about iphone is that what’s been rumoured for 1/2 a year has finally been announced. That’s the definition of hype. Like you said — it’s cool — and it’s what people want to read… are you telling me the same “cool factor” isn’t at play in discussions about social q&a sites?

Music playing phones have been around for awhile now, and touch screens have been around for at least 15 years — cool — Apple added 1+1… big deal! If advertising doesn’t affect peoples views — why do companies advertise???? I can’t believe that journalists are somehow immune to its effects. Especially, when it’s advertisers that are paying their salaries. It’s about mindshare, not editorial policy.

Bottom line is — you are right — the MIT article is bad writing — we have different views as to what caused it.

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