Webzzle

[Florence Devouard-3]

I was contacted by someone working (for) (at) Webzzle, who want to meet
me (for unknown reasons as of today).

I googled Webzzle to better identify who the guy is and what he is
likely to talk to me about. And what I found let me quite dubious.

Please have a look here: http://www.webzzle.com/explorer/home.kol

There is a presentation of the concept here:
http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html

I kind of now suspect what the meeting will be about and I think I'll
settle down for a phone meeting rather than an expensive and time
consuming face to face meeting in Paris :)

But I'd like to have your opinion about this website and the use it
makes of Wikipedia.

I am asking here in particular because there are obvious technical
implications. But I am sure some of you could reflect on the less
technical implications ;)

thanks

ant


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[Martin Pascal-2]

Je l'ai rencontré :)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Florence Devouard" <Anthere9@...>
To: <wikitech-l@...>
Sent: Thursday, October 08, 2009 6:17 PM
Subject: [Wikitech-l] Webzzle

>I was contacted by someone working (for) (at) Webzzle, who want to meet
> me (for unknown reasons as of today).
>
> I googled Webzzle to better identify who the guy is and what he is
> likely to talk to me about. And what I found let me quite dubious.
>
> Please have a look here: http://www.webzzle.com/explorer/home.kol
>
> There is a presentation of the concept here:
> http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html
>
> I kind of now suspect what the meeting will be about and I think I'll
> settle down for a phone meeting rather than an expensive and time
> consuming face to face meeting in Paris :)
>
> But I'd like to have your opinion about this website and the use it
> makes of Wikipedia.
>
> I am asking here in particular because there are obvious technical
> implications. But I am sure some of you could reflect on the less
> technical implications ;)
>
> thanks
>
> ant
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wikitech-l mailing list
> Wikitech-l@...
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l
>

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[^demon]

On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 12:17 PM, Florence Devouard <Anthere9@...> wrote:

> I was contacted by someone working (for) (at) Webzzle, who want to meet
> me (for unknown reasons as of today).
>
> I googled Webzzle to better identify who the guy is and what he is
> likely to talk to me about. And what I found let me quite dubious.
>
> Please have a look here: http://www.webzzle.com/explorer/home.kol
>
> There is a presentation of the concept here:
> http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html
>
> I kind of now suspect what the meeting will be about and I think I'll
> settle down for a phone meeting rather than an expensive and time
> consuming face to face meeting in Paris :)
>
> But I'd like to have your opinion about this website and the use it
> makes of Wikipedia.
>
> I am asking here in particular because there are obvious technical
> implications. But I am sure some of you could reflect on the less
> technical implications ;)
>
> thanks
>
> ant
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Wikitech-l mailing list
> Wikitech-l@...
> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikitech-l
>

This snippet from their "Why Use Webzzle" page leaves me feeling all
warm and fuzzy...

"For Wikipedia editors: Because you add more value to your Wikipedia
content and because you can overcome the Wikipedia external links policy,"

-Chad

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[Andrew Garrett-4]

On 08/10/2009, at 5:17 PM, Florence Devouard wrote:
> There is a presentation of the concept here:
> http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html


I don't know why they bothered using a demo to explain their  
technology, clear explanations like "organize the real-time knowledge  
web" and "explore the knowledge web in 1-click" just speak for  
themselves.

--
Andrew Garrett
agarrett@...
http://werdn.us/


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[Tei-2]

On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 7:16 PM, Andrew Garrett <agarrett@...> wrote:

>
> On 08/10/2009, at 5:17 PM, Florence Devouard wrote:
>> There is a presentation of the concept here:
>> http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html
>
>
> I don't know why they bothered using a demo to explain their
> technology, clear explanations like "organize the real-time knowledge
> web" and "explore the knowledge web in 1-click" just speak for
> themselves.
>

The idea of mix Google and Wikipedia search in a mashup is not new...

The Google FX extension alredy did it..
http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/31950
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/4999/googlefxv205mk1.jpg

A greasemonkey script can change the google page, because is the user,
Is like watching monalisa with sun glasses. But maybe a mashup service
has to ask permissions...

About webzzle:   Seems  ( insane || cool || naive ) people  but not
(smart && evil) people.  Most spammers are naive and insane, so I will
classify webzzle there, but is not a perfect fit.

--
--
ℱin del ℳensaje.

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[Florence Devouard-3]

Tei wrote:

> On Thu, Oct 8, 2009 at 7:16 PM, Andrew Garrett <agarrett@...> wrote:
>> On 08/10/2009, at 5:17 PM, Florence Devouard wrote:
>>> There is a presentation of the concept here:
>>> http://www.webzzle.com/intl/en/help.html
>>
>> I don't know why they bothered using a demo to explain their
>> technology, clear explanations like "organize the real-time knowledge
>> web" and "explore the knowledge web in 1-click" just speak for
>> themselves.
>>
>
> The idea of mix Google and Wikipedia search in a mashup is not new...
>
> The Google FX extension alredy did it..
> http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/31950
> http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/4999/googlefxv205mk1.jpg
>
> A greasemonkey script can change the google page, because is the user,
> Is like watching monalisa with sun glasses. But maybe a mashup service
> has to ask permissions...
>
> About webzzle:   Seems  ( insane || cool || naive ) people  but not
> (smart && evil) people.  Most spammers are naive and insane, so I will
> classify webzzle there, but is not a perfect fit.

Ok.

I still feel there is something not quite right. But if I am the only
one, everything is probably fine ;)

Thanks

Ant


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[stevertigo-2]

Florence Devouard <Anthere9@...> wrote:
> Ok.
> I still feel there is something not quite right. But if I am the only
> one, everything is probably fine ;)
> Thanks

Well the thing not right might be that they want you to legitimize
their product, by giving them some kind of tie to Wikipedia and
Wikimedia, whereby they can claim some kind of official status or
affiliation to investors. That's the obvious possibilty. As Tei said,
"the idea of mix Google and Wikipedia search in a mashup is not new.."
I myself have been using Googlepedia for years now, and in any case
Wikipedia articles show up top in Google searches anyway. So, cheezy
product with a cheezy name that nobody will want to use, wants a
former Wikimedia board member to juice its personell roster...

That's what it looks like to me, and I just read your email four minutes ago.

-Stevertigo
"My mind it got a dent...

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[Q-15]

On Sat, Oct 10, 2009 at 2:36 AM, stevertigo <stvrtg@...> wrote:
> So, cheezy
> product with a cheezy name that nobody will want to use, wants a
> former Wikimedia board member to juice its personell roster...
>
> That's what it looks like to me, and I just read your email four minutes ago.
>

Well they went ahead and started adding[1] links[2] to 'demo' how much
it would help Wikipedia. Just seems like search engine results to me.
They've petitioned feedback on the Village Pump[3], which thankfully,
or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, happened before they
got the banstick[4] for violating existing policy. And as I mentioned
on VPP, it just seems like a solution in search of a problem.

1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Champagne_(wine)&diff=prev&oldid=323369829
2 - http://www.webzzle.com/explorer/webResource.kol?action=20020&url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FChampagne_%28wine%29&title=Champagne%20%28wine%29%20-%20Wikipedia%2C%20the%20free%20encyclopedia/
3 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Village_pump_%28proposals%29#Improve_the_external_links_section
4 - http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log&type=block&page=User%3AWebzzle

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[Steve Bennett-8]

On Fri, Oct 9, 2009 at 4:16 AM, Andrew Garrett <agarrett@...> wrote:
> I don't know why they bothered using a demo to explain their
> technology, clear explanations like "organize the real-time knowledge
> web" and "explore the knowledge web in 1-click" just speak for
> themselves.

To be fair, it's clear the guy's English isn't too good.

Thing is though, I just don't see the value in this kind of vague mash
up. Wikipedia is great. Google is great. Trying to mash them together
in some vague "knowledge web"...what problem is this solving? Seems
like it would require some huge critical mass to be useful, but the
concept (whatever it is) is so nebulous it will struggle to attract
contributors.

This is intriguing though:
>The Webzzle technology is protected by international patents. General Internet Company, the startup behind Webzzle, gives free access to the patents and free use of the technology

Steve

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[Max Semenik]

On 02.11.2009, 11:02 OQ wrote:

> Well they went ahead and started adding[1] links[2] to 'demo' how much
> it would help Wikipedia. Just seems like search engine results to me.
> They've petitioned feedback on the Village Pump[3], which thankfully,
> or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, happened before they
> got the banstick[4] for violating existing policy. And as I mentioned
> on VPP, it just seems like a solution in search of a problem.

I'd say, BBI (Blacklist, Block, Ignore) them.

--
Best regards,
  Max Semenik ([[User:MaxSem]])


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Wanna know the best part about Webzzle?

It's blocked at my school. :)

That'll surely help them...

-X!

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