Google Answers Falls as Yahoo one rise!

The project that started as an idea from Larry Page more than 4 years back, Google Answers, is now closing down for new questions, and at the end of the year, for any new answers as well. This decision comes just few months after Yahoo launched their own Yahoo Answers, which is turning out pretty well.

The difference however is in the concept between the two. Google Answers was for people to post questions, and bit how much they are welling to pay for an answer. Then a group of researchers would look for an answer to your question. Not anyone could answer the question, and you have to pay to get the answer. This is kind of awkward in the rich forum world, and where Google users are used to the free search services.

Yahoo Answers however is more of an open community, where you have points deducted for asking, and rewarded for answering. This have turned Yahoo Answers into a wide fast growing community, where you post the question, and only have to wait few seconds before you start getting answers. Pretty good isn't it? But the draw back of this is the nature of people using it. Usually they are the people looking for fun rather than real answers, so pretty often you would read "What's your favorite color?" or "What's the price of HD Drive?" when they could actually search any shopping site for the best prices. The answers also don't come much as you hope for, if you are looking for a professional answer. One time only I remember getting professional answer for a technical question, otherwise, the service would do you just good if you want to have some fun or know the answer to a general question like "What's the name of the movie that was shown last year about alien invasion?" Those kind of questions, you expect to get answers to them.

All in all, it is numbers that count, and Yahoo are taking this round.