This is certainly breaking no rules I’m aware of, but I want to be doubly sure.
Basically what I propose to do is compare and contrast how the SDMB compares to theWikipedia Referfence Desk and Yahoo Answers , by asking the same questions. This may include asking questions I know the answer to, and possibly some slightly silly ones.
This could lead to excellent publicity for the SDMB. I have a pretty good feeling that the answers here will be better - and most importantly more interesting. Small message board takes on Wikipedia and Yahoo - and wins
I’m also amenable to suggestions on how this could be improved.
I can’t see a board war emerging. The other places don’t really have anything like the same type of community as here. Also, I don’t intend to announce in them the nature of the experiment.
I’m not sure what you’re getting at here. Let’s suppose hypothetically I make Widgets. I’m not going to ask a question like “Who makes the best Widgets, is it me?”…
What I’m getting at is I oppose “false questions” for lack of a better word, meaning questions you don’t really need answered. It’s like you serving up batting practice pitches for us to knock out of the park, in some sort of attempt to improve the image of the board and/or draw traffic to it. I’m not here to put butts in seats. I’m here to entertain myself, and hopefully, whoever reads my ramblings.
A common misconception around here. Personally I see nothing wrong with what’s being proposed here. As I understand it it’s a one time thing and not everyone minds the “batting practice”.
But if he doesn’t already know the answers, how can he compare? I’d suggest just taking questions already answered here, but we’re googlable, so that won’t work.
From a scientific stand point, you really shouldn’t have asked/announced this little experiment. It doesn’t break any rules and you’ve kind of spoiled the results if people reading this thread decide to make sure you get good answers in GQ to beat yahoo or whomever.
I really can’t understand these objections about the idea being deceptive and even less that “wallowing in ignorance” comment.
Sure, for a purely scientific experiment I would want to avoid the Hawthorne effect, but this is very much a qualitative thing.
Anyway since there don’t seem to be any official objections I’ll start it relatively soon in an unobtrusive manner. Probably take a couple of months to complete then I’ll post results here.
Wouldn’t respondents likely reference the other boards (whether admitting to it, or citing it) for their answers anyway? (or at least have some probability attached to it…)
ETA: What I mean is that often when a question is asked people naturally reference various web resources for their answers, whether in a Debate or a GQ type response. That seems to be a fairly standard and legitimate practice.
Well, now I’m just pissed. I posted a perfectly legitimate answer in that thread, only to find out it was just your dipshit experiment. I retract my answer!
