Comments on: Skype’s Outage Another Example of Why Current Mahalo is Doomed http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed Web 2 and Social Media News and Reviews Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:50:56 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Sal http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-13507 Sal Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-13507 I personally think that there was to many people out in the blogosphere "covering" this skype outage. So one or two headlines in Mahalo is enough for me to know that skype is having issues. My google reader was swamped with blog posts about this. But then again how is everyone in my Google Reader supposed to know that its been covered in another blog. Maybe we need a "Smart" Reader that can skip blog posts that it thinks are redundant of something else we read about. This would have been useful when the iphone came out. I personally think that there was to many people out in the blogosphere “covering” this skype outage. So one or two headlines in Mahalo is enough for me to know that skype is having issues.

My google reader was swamped with blog posts about this. But then again how is everyone in my Google Reader supposed to know that its been covered in another blog.

Maybe we need a “Smart” Reader that can skip blog posts that it thinks are redundant of something else we read about. This would have been useful when the iphone came out.

]]> By: Lucia http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-13705 Lucia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-13705 The how to pages look ok. That said, they aren't content that would normally be stumble or digg worth. I mean.... just how many people are suddenly all excited to read there is a "how to learn japanese" page? It's nice that exists on the web, but <i>ordinarily</i> why would it get dugg or stumbled? They are being dugg and stumbled because Jason is begging for duggs and stumbles and his fans (many of whom may be Mahalo employees) are digging and stumbling. Still, the, the "how tos" are vastly better than Mahalo as a search engine which ranges from, at best, mediocre results (when the curators actually put them together) to sidesplitting awful results (when they try to guess what you want to find, but can't quite do it) to just delivering Google results. Because the searches were so bad, the change in direction is probably a good idea. That said, these pages would never be given any boost on a social network were it not for the fact that Jason himself has a following. Will the digging last? The how to pages look ok. That said, they aren’t content that would normally be stumble or digg worth. I mean…. just how many people are suddenly all excited to read there is a “how to learn japanese” page? It’s nice that exists on the web, but ordinarily why would it get dugg or stumbled?

They are being dugg and stumbled because Jason is begging for duggs and stumbles and his fans (many of whom may be Mahalo employees) are digging and stumbling.

Still, the, the “how tos” are vastly better than Mahalo as a search engine which ranges from, at best, mediocre results (when the curators actually put them together) to sidesplitting awful results (when they try to guess what you want to find, but can’t quite do it) to just delivering Google results.

Because the searches were so bad, the change in direction is probably a good idea.

That said, these pages would never be given any boost on a social network were it not for the fact that Jason himself has a following. Will the digging last?

]]> By: lucia http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-13941 lucia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-13941 I took a look at the Mahalo kielbasa search results. There are <i>plenty</i> of ads on those pages. I'd say there are more ads on those pages than on the typical search result page I find in the top search results on Google. I've placed screen shots and discussion at my blog. I don't necessarily mind ads, but if the purpose of Mahalo is to help searchers avoid the ads, Mahalo seems to fail. I took a look at the Mahalo kielbasa search results. There are plenty of ads on those pages. I’d say there are more ads on those pages than on the typical search result page I find in the top search results on Google. I’ve placed screen shots and discussion at my blog.

I don’t necessarily mind ads, but if the purpose of Mahalo is to help searchers avoid the ads, Mahalo seems to fail.

]]> By: Webnewsy http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14365 Webnewsy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14365 Yes, I agree that human filtering can never beat machines for speed. I do, however, like the Mahalo idea as a search engine for my parents who would gladly trade such up to date results for easier to read/understand hand edited results. Yes, I agree that human filtering can never beat machines for speed. I do, however, like the Mahalo idea as a search engine for my parents who would gladly trade such up to date results for easier to read/understand hand edited results.

]]> By: Lucia http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-14545 Lucia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14545 Melinda, So.... to clarify, did you cook all the recipes and serve them to your husband? Or are you just saying he loves Keilbasa, but you didn't cook the recipes in the links you posted but are jusg guessing they are good? On the other issue: Why in the world should I spend my time recommending links for Mahalo's pages? Frankly, I don't see the fact that Mahalo has to rely on begging stray, unaffiliated people to donate time to give them for recommendations as a strength of Mahalo. I see that as a long term weakness of the concept. If you want my link recommendations, you visit <a href= "http://money.bigbucksblogger.com/mahalo-pos-search-engine">my first review of mahalo's crochet page.</a> For what it's worth, I visit Mahalo regularly. I often find the results side splittingly funnny, particularly when disambiguation is involved. (So does my mother who is is 75 years old.) Melinda,
So…. to clarify, did you cook all the recipes and serve them to your husband? Or are you just saying he loves Keilbasa, but you didn’t cook the recipes in the links you posted but are jusg guessing they are good?

On the other issue: Why in the world should I spend my time recommending links for Mahalo’s pages? Frankly, I don’t see the fact that Mahalo has to rely on begging stray, unaffiliated people to donate time to give them for recommendations as a strength of Mahalo. I see that as a long term weakness of the concept.

If you want my link recommendations, you visit "http://money.bigbucksblogger.com/mahalo-pos-search-engine">my first review of mahalo’s crochet page.

For what it’s worth, I visit Mahalo regularly. I often find the results side splittingly funnny, particularly when disambiguation is involved. (So does my mother who is is 75 years old.)

]]> By: Lucia http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-14773 Lucia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14773 <strong>About the Martha Page.</strong> Yes Melinda. That is the exact same ad-riddled page I visited! I posted a screenshot at my blog. You can see the screen shot <a href="http://money.bigbucksblogger.com/mahalo-search-results-full-of-ads/martha-non-stop-ads/">here</a> I circled the ads and explain them in the <a href="http://money.bigbucksblogger.com/mahalo-search-results-full-of-ads">blog post.</a> I also point out that the recipe quality is about on the level one would find on a package of kielbasa-- and included a shot of a recipe that appears on Eckrich kielbasa. Now, since we are both looking at the same image of Martha Stewart's "meritorious" page: could you circle any portion of recipe that appear above the fold? (Or, if you think I am being picky, could you please explain why pages that force the visitor to scroll past ads to find a tiny snippet of content fit whatever Jason might mean by "meritorious"? ) <strong>On the Issue of Bias</strong> I reread your first comment, which appears af immediately after my comment. Evidently, you think for some reason, your comment compels me to limit my observations about Mahalo's flaws to accusations of bias. This is mysterious for several reasons. First, I'm not sure why I must repeat what I said about biase in my comment which appears <em>immediately</em> above yours. In that comment I said I don't think bias is the main problem with Mahalo. I said the problem was the Mahalo staff aren't experts on their topics and the results suffer. Your comment appears to be responding to my criticism about the lack of expertise on the part of Mahalo staff. You responded by saying you don't like kielbasa, andseemed to suggest that despite your lack of expertise with regard to kielbasa, you think you created great search results! In the process, you said: "I ran into numerous pages of supposed Kielbasa recipes only to be linked to pages full of advertisements." I was responding to <em>that</em> idea, which you introduced. (I also asked you if you'd tasted any of the kielbasa recipes you linked, but you have not answered that either.) Evidently, my taking up your point about ads upsets you. I hadn't anticipated that. I'm sorry to have ruffled your feathers. However, now that we are on the subject of the ads, I will repeat: the Martha Stewart page that appears as the #2 results in Mahalo contains more ads than the second search results Google. This can be seen by comparing the two pages. (Both search engines returned Wikipedia for their first result.) If you wish to keep responding to my response to your point about ads by saying either, a) "The results page is not biased." and/ or b) "You, Lucia, must discuss bias, and only biase, because that's the one and only topic that should be discussed", I can't stop you from saying that. However, I will keep pointing out you are not addressing the issue of ad laden page. (With luck, Allen will enjoy the exchange.) I do have some advice for you though: Had you wished to avoid the topic of the ad-laden Martha Stewart Kielbasa page, you should not have broached the subject of ad-laden kielbasa pages. <strong>About our Moms</strong> Thanks for sharing about your mom. Lucky for her recipes equal in quality to those on the Martha page you linked appear on Eckrich Kielbasa. Now she can learn to cook it without having to use Mahalo or Google. Better yet, she won't have to learn how to use the scroll bar to scroll past the ads on Martha Stewart's blog site! BTW. Eckrich is the best! I know this because I went to high school with one of the Eckrich girls. So, you can be sure my opinion about Kielbasa is not biased in the least! :) About the Martha Page.

Yes Melinda. That is the exact same ad-riddled page I visited! I posted a screenshot at my blog. You can see the screen shot here

I circled the ads and explain them in the blog post.

I also point out that the recipe quality is about on the level one would find on a package of kielbasa– and included a shot of a recipe that appears on Eckrich kielbasa.

Now, since we are both looking at the same image of Martha Stewart’s “meritorious” page: could you circle any portion of recipe that appear above the fold?

(Or, if you think I am being picky, could you please explain why pages that force the visitor to scroll past ads to find a tiny snippet of content fit whatever Jason might mean by “meritorious”? )

On the Issue of Bias
I reread your first comment, which appears af immediately after my comment. Evidently, you think for some reason, your comment compels me to limit my observations about Mahalo’s flaws to accusations of bias. This is mysterious for several reasons.

First, I’m not sure why I must repeat what I said about biase in my comment which appears immediately above yours.

In that comment I said I don’t think bias is the main problem with Mahalo.

I said the problem was the Mahalo staff aren’t experts on their topics and the results suffer. Your comment appears to be responding to my criticism about the lack of expertise on the part of Mahalo staff. You responded by saying you don’t like kielbasa, andseemed to suggest that despite your lack of expertise with regard to kielbasa, you think you created great search results!

In the process, you said:
“I ran into numerous pages of supposed Kielbasa recipes only to be linked to pages full of advertisements.”

I was responding to that idea, which you introduced. (I also asked you if you’d tasted any of the kielbasa recipes you linked, but you have not answered that either.)

Evidently, my taking up your point about ads upsets you. I hadn’t anticipated that. I’m sorry to have ruffled your feathers.

However, now that we are on the subject of the ads, I will repeat: the Martha Stewart page that appears as the #2 results in Mahalo contains more ads than the second search results Google. This can be seen by comparing the two pages. (Both search engines returned Wikipedia for their first result.)

If you wish to keep responding to my response to your point about ads by saying either, a) “The results page is not biased.” and/ or b) “You, Lucia, must discuss bias, and only biase, because that’s the one and only topic that should be discussed”, I can’t stop you from saying that.

However, I will keep pointing out you are not addressing the issue of ad laden page. (With luck, Allen will enjoy the exchange.)

I do have some advice for you though: Had you wished to avoid the topic of the ad-laden Martha Stewart Kielbasa page, you should not have broached the subject of ad-laden kielbasa pages.

About our Moms

Thanks for sharing about your mom. Lucky for her recipes equal in quality to those on the Martha page you linked appear on Eckrich Kielbasa. Now she can learn to cook it without having to use Mahalo or Google. Better yet, she won’t have to learn how to use the scroll bar to scroll past the ads on Martha Stewart’s blog site!

BTW. Eckrich is the best! I know this because I went to high school with one of the Eckrich girls. So, you can be sure my opinion about Kielbasa is not biased in the least! :)

]]> By: Jason http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14802 Jason Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14802 Mahalo for all the attention! iPhone? That's a real stretch... almost comical. I don't see any bias on that page at all. Engadget is mentioned a bunch, sure, but so are other blogs. Since Engadget is also in the top five on my Google results this makes sense: Google and Mahalo agree that Engadget is the top authority on gadgets. Engadget and Gizmodo were both started by the same guy, and Engadget is where that guy (Peter Rojas) still works. So, since Engadget is the most respected tech site out there I understand why it was put in there a bunch of times. We can't hold it against Engadget that I used to work there.... that would be real bias! Also, I have no input on SERPs by the way, and no one here has ever worked for Engadget... so, not sure how that is bias. Also, I have no stake in Engadget any more. Zero impact on my life if Engadget goes up or down (although I'm sure they will continue to do well!). That being said, if there are sites that provide better information anyone is free to submit them and discuss that on the discussion page. Suggest a replacement link for each of the Engadget links that's better and I'm sure they will switch them. What's great about this is that you're really grasping to find something... I mean, if that's the best bias you can come up with we're in AMAZING shape! In terms of hiring you to be a consultant while I appreciate the feedback I don't think any of it has been so unique that we would pay for it. I mean, we've been dealing with the issues you point out for the six months before we even launched! Bias, scale, and updating the index are the really, really, obvious issues. Also, you haven't really talked about solutions... you just pointed out the obvious issues. So, if you want to get on the payroll you'll have to do a lot better than that! :-) Seriously, I think you're great and I love the fact that you beat on us every three days... the more you point out the faults the quicker we can address them. Mahalo for helping mahalo.com! best j Mahalo for all the attention!

iPhone? That’s a real stretch… almost comical. I don’t see any bias on that page at all.

Engadget is mentioned a bunch, sure, but so are other blogs. Since Engadget is also in the top five on my Google results this makes sense: Google and Mahalo agree that Engadget is the top authority on gadgets. Engadget and Gizmodo were both started by the same guy, and Engadget is where that guy (Peter Rojas) still works. So, since Engadget is the most respected tech site out there I understand why it was put in there a bunch of times. We can’t hold it against Engadget that I used to work there…. that would be real bias!

Also, I have no input on SERPs by the way, and no one here has ever worked for Engadget… so, not sure how that is bias. Also, I have no stake in Engadget any more. Zero impact on my life if Engadget goes up or down (although I’m sure they will continue to do well!).

That being said, if there are sites that provide better information anyone is free to submit them and discuss that on the discussion page. Suggest a replacement link for each of the Engadget links that’s better and I’m sure they will switch them.

What’s great about this is that you’re really grasping to find something… I mean, if that’s the best bias you can come up with we’re in AMAZING shape!

In terms of hiring you to be a consultant while I appreciate the feedback I don’t think any of it has been so unique that we would pay for it. I mean, we’ve been dealing with the issues you point out for the six months before we even launched! Bias, scale, and updating the index are the really, really, obvious issues.

Also, you haven’t really talked about solutions… you just pointed out the obvious issues. So, if you want to get on the payroll you’ll have to do a lot better than that! :-)

Seriously, I think you’re great and I love the fact that you beat on us every three days… the more you point out the faults the quicker we can address them.

Mahalo for helping mahalo.com!

best j

]]> By: Melinda-Mahalo PTG http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-14812 Melinda-Mahalo PTG Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14812 <p>I beg to differ with you Lucia. Here is the exact link that is on Mahalo.com for the recipe on MarthaStewart.com: </p><p><a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=67ef41899e7b1110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=kielbasa&rsc=ns2006_m1 ">MarthaStewart</a> </p><p>IDK, maybe you're using a different internet than I am.<----Tongue-in-cheek again. That being said, if you were to reread my initial post you may find that I was addressing "bias", and trying (lightheartedly) to show the difference in pages, i.e. iPhone versus an innocuous Kielbasa. You cannot take one page and make a blanket statement about Mahalo being biased. </p><p>On a side note: I think it's great that your Mother can surf the internet. Mine is 73 and can't even grasp call-waiting. :o) Melinda</p> I beg to differ with you Lucia. Here is the exact link that is on Mahalo.com for the recipe on MarthaStewart.com:

MarthaStewart 

IDK, maybe you're using a different internet than I am.<—-Tongue-in-cheek again. That being said, if you were to reread my initial post you may find that I was addressing "bias", and trying (lightheartedly) to show the difference in pages, i.e. iPhone versus an innocuous Kielbasa. You cannot take one page and make a blanket statement about Mahalo being biased.

On a side note: I think it's great that your Mother can surf the internet. Mine is 73 and can't even grasp call-waiting. :o) Melinda

]]> By: Melinda-Mahalo PTG http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-1#comment-14815 Melinda-Mahalo PTG Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14815 Apparently there is no getting through to you. Are you just here to try to get people to your blog? Now that would really be pathetic. I bet that's exactly what it is! Mahalo is not biased. Martha Stewart can have as many ads on HER page as she wants. The recipe is there and even someone with as much time on their hands as you seem to have could make that simple recipe. Why are you so completely obsessed with Martha Stewart? Why are you obsessed with me? Get a grip. If you don't like Martha Stewart or me then feel free to wallow in your hatred. I couldn't possibly care less what you think of me, my Mother or Martha Stewart. The topic was BIAS. Get it? BIAS. I've made myself clear on at least three occasions that my post was about bias and was tongue-in-cheek. You're completely and utterly either not understanding my post or you just have some agenda here, as mentioned previously. It is what it is. Anyone who goes to the the links provided they will see the pages are not riddled with ads. You can see that, right? Why are you trying to take a simple post about bias and turn it into something else? My post appeared below yours because I posted after you, ummm duh. Your posts were so uninteresting that I barely skimmed over them. If I had known you make this into WW3 then I certainly would have waited for someone else to post so as to not offend you. My feathers aren't ruffled. I have five children so I am quite used to dealing with childlike behavior. Sometimes, as I think may be appropriate in this case, it's better to ignore the attention seeking child. Maybe your Mother should have done that too, heck maybe she did it too much. Either way, Goodbye. Live well and eats lots and lots of that delicious Kielbasa! Apparently there is no getting through to you. Are you just here to try to get people to your blog? Now that would really be pathetic. I bet that’s exactly what it is! Mahalo is not biased. Martha Stewart can have as many ads on HER page as she wants. The recipe is there and even someone with as much time on their hands as you seem to have could make that simple recipe. Why are you so completely obsessed with Martha Stewart? Why are you obsessed with me? Get a grip. If you don’t like Martha Stewart or me then feel free to wallow in your hatred. I couldn’t possibly care less what you think of me, my Mother or Martha Stewart. The topic was BIAS. Get it? BIAS. I’ve made myself clear on at least three occasions that my post was about bias and was tongue-in-cheek. You’re completely and utterly either not understanding my post or you just have some agenda here, as mentioned previously. It is what it is. Anyone who goes to the the links provided they will see the pages are not riddled with ads. You can see that, right? Why are you trying to take a simple post about bias and turn it into something else? My post appeared below yours because I posted after you, ummm duh. Your posts were so uninteresting that I barely skimmed over them. If I had known you make this into WW3 then I certainly would have waited for someone else to post so as to not offend you. My feathers aren’t ruffled. I have five children so I am quite used to dealing with childlike behavior. Sometimes, as I think may be appropriate in this case, it’s better to ignore the attention seeking child. Maybe your Mother should have done that too, heck maybe she did it too much. Either way, Goodbye. Live well and eats lots and lots of that delicious Kielbasa!

]]> By: Lucia http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14816 Lucia Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14816 Bias isn't the main problem. The main problem is to entirely avoid bias, the requires selecting guides who don't care (and often don't know) about the topics for which the create search results. In contrast, excellent results required selecting guides who do care and do know about the topics on which they work. The result is, in so far as the pages are unbaised, they represent mediocre search results. In so far as they are excellent, they will be biased. There are other problems with the service. Does it even claim to have disambiguation? Is that what I got when a search that correctly returns knitting results on google returns gay marriage on Mahalo? I'm 48 years old. I've found using Mahalo side splittingly funny. My mother found it downright puzzling to see that searches for "tango" return "mango". Possibly, Jason can get this to work, but as a search engine that returns results the <i>searchers</i> finds relevant, it's currently unimpressive. Bias isn’t the main problem. The main problem is to entirely avoid bias, the requires selecting guides who don’t care (and often don’t know) about the topics for which the create search results.

In contrast, excellent results required selecting guides who do care and do know about the topics on which they work.

The result is, in so far as the pages are unbaised, they represent mediocre search results. In so far as they are excellent, they will be biased.

There are other problems with the service. Does it even claim to have disambiguation? Is that what I got when a search that correctly returns knitting results on google returns gay marriage on Mahalo?

I’m 48 years old. I’ve found using Mahalo side splittingly funny. My mother found it downright puzzling to see that searches for “tango” return “mango”.

Possibly, Jason can get this to work, but as a search engine that returns results the searchers finds relevant, it’s currently unimpressive.

]]> By: Melinda-Mahalo PTG http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14818 Melinda-Mahalo PTG Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14818 I just finished a page on Kielbasa. I am not Polish, I have no particular fondness for Kielbasa. As a matter of fact, can't stand it. Nevertheless I put my best finger forward and created what I think is a page that were one to search for Kielbasa they would find the needed information without having to look through hundreds of results as I did. I ran into numerous pages of supposed Kielbasa recipes only to be linked to pages full of advertisements. Mahalo, in essence, is by-passing the middle man and going straight to the source. What could be biased about that? As time passes Mahalo's disambiguation situation will improve. For goodness sake, can you say ALPHA? And....I will stand up and cheer when Bush is gone ;) I just finished a page on Kielbasa. I am not Polish, I have no particular fondness for Kielbasa. As a matter of fact, can’t stand it. Nevertheless I put my best finger forward and created what I think is a page that were one to search for Kielbasa they would find the needed information without having to look through hundreds of results as I did. I ran into numerous pages of supposed Kielbasa recipes only to be linked to pages full of advertisements.
Mahalo, in essence, is by-passing the middle man and going straight to the source. What could be biased about that?
As time passes Mahalo’s disambiguation situation will improve. For goodness sake, can you say ALPHA?
And….I will stand up and cheer when Bush is gone ;)

]]> By: Jason http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14819 Jason Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14819 Thanks for feedback... we're building our news team right now. 1. Google has no skype is down information right now. 2. Third section down has an RSS feed pulling in information about Skype being down. We should probably pull this up to the second section. 3. We're in month three right now and we *just* formed a news team that is *almost* getting 24 hour news coverage. We will be getting better and better at this. Mahalo for the feedback... best jason Thanks for feedback… we’re building our news team right now.

1. Google has no skype is down information right now.

2. Third section down has an RSS feed pulling in information about Skype being down. We should probably pull this up to the second section.

3. We’re in month three right now and we *just* formed a news team that is *almost* getting 24 hour news coverage. We will be getting better and better at this.

Mahalo for the feedback…

best jason

]]> By: centernetworks http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14829 centernetworks Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14829 <p>Thanks for stopping by and commenting Jason. Google has results that people can do something with about Skype being down. </p><p>I would love to learn more about your news team. While your clan of news searchers can make a page for say Skype down, will they be able to keep it updated? I still think that (plus the bias issue) will be the unfortunate downfall of your product. </p><p>You do make a fair point, I need to continue to remember that this is an early product. I still remember my 1g iPod :)</p> Thanks for stopping by and commenting Jason. Google has results that people can do something with about Skype being down.

I would love to learn more about your news team. While your clan of news searchers can make a page for say Skype down, will they be able to keep it updated? I still think that (plus the bias issue) will be the unfortunate downfall of your product. 

You do make a fair point, I need to continue to remember that this is an early product. I still remember my 1g iPod :)

]]> By: centernetworks http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14831 centernetworks Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14831 <p>This is great Jason, I am enjoying it - looking forward to meeting you next month in person.</p><p>So in your mind Engadget warrants that number of links including 2 in the top 7? They must be that damn good. I didn't know Engadget was the most respected tech site!</p><p>What I think you miss is that your core audience doesn't understand submitting links and they won't do it. If you want some advice, change the title from Internet Zeitgeist, no one in your core knows what that is.</p><p>Sorry you think my advice is sub-par. Maybe someone else can provide you with better help since that's the only time you open your blog comments up :)</p><p>Lastly, while you may believe I beat you up every 3 days, it has been more than a month and I always include tips for improvement because I want everyone to succeed. Though I am considering another Mahalo post, but am resisting.</p><p>There are plenty of other sites I want to help (maybe they won't think my help is sub-par) and who don't have the resources and the checkbook you do. My goal with CN is to help as many Web ideas become as successful as possible. </p> This is great Jason, I am enjoying it – looking forward to meeting you next month in person.

So in your mind Engadget warrants that number of links including 2 in the top 7? They must be that damn good. I didn't know Engadget was the most respected tech site!

What I think you miss is that your core audience doesn't understand submitting links and they won't do it. If you want some advice, change the title from Internet Zeitgeist, no one in your core knows what that is.

Sorry you think my advice is sub-par. Maybe someone else can provide you with better help since that's the only time you open your blog comments up :)

Lastly, while you may believe I beat you up every 3 days, it has been more than a month and I always include tips for improvement because I want everyone to succeed. Though I am considering another Mahalo post, but am resisting.

There are plenty of other sites I want to help (maybe they won't think my help is sub-par) and who don't have the resources and the checkbook you do. My goal with CN is to help as many Web ideas become as successful as possible.

]]> By: jason http://www.centernetworks.com/another-example-of-why-mahalo-is-doomed/comment-page-#comment-14845 jason Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-14845 dude.... you make things so dramatic with "downfall" and "doomed." :-) anyway... mahalo for the constant attention you're giving Mahalo and you are right to be a skeptic of something as outlandish as Mahalo.com! Frankly, "doomed" is a very simplistic way of looking at the world. Things are not that binary in our industry... things tend to do poorly, ok, good, or amazing. Things are not doomed in most cases, and certainly not when the CEO and their team are listening and responding to every piece of feedback they get. When was the last time a product got as much feedback as Mahalo has? When was the last time that feedback was discussed in such detail? I think the answer would be never and never! I'm taking a wildly radical approach to product development with this: talk to everyone about everything all the time. Anyway, in terms of bias we've got systems for that and I would suggest if you think that is our downfall that you show me three solid examples of bias at Mahalo. Just three... please. I don't think you will be able to find one, and if you do we will fix them instantly. That's the flaw in the bias argument... first, we don't have any major bias issues right now--if any at all! Second, we have message boards and transparency to deal with even the slightest bias concern. In terms of keeping pages updated the Skyp SERP on Mahalo had the news via three headlines syndicated via RSS. So, the Skype news was on the Skype page at Mahalo. Is the Skyp outage that big news? If it happens again, or becomes a trend maybe. But every service goes down at some point... not sure this is as major a news story for folks outside the "techcrunch 100k." Mahalo again for the non-stop feedback!!! I love it!!! best jason dude…. you make things so dramatic with “downfall” and “doomed.” :-)

anyway… mahalo for the constant attention you’re giving Mahalo and you are right to be a skeptic of something as outlandish as Mahalo.com!

Frankly, “doomed” is a very simplistic way of looking at the world. Things are not that binary in our industry… things tend to do poorly, ok, good, or amazing. Things are not doomed in most cases, and certainly not when the CEO and their team are listening and responding to every piece of feedback they get.

When was the last time a product got as much feedback as Mahalo has? When was the last time that feedback was discussed in such detail? I think the answer would be never and never! I’m taking a wildly radical approach to product development with this: talk to everyone about everything all the time.

Anyway, in terms of bias we’ve got systems for that and I would suggest if you think that is our downfall that you show me three solid examples of bias at Mahalo. Just three… please. I don’t think you will be able to find one, and if you do we will fix them instantly.

That’s the flaw in the bias argument… first, we don’t have any major bias issues right now–if any at all! Second, we have message boards and transparency to deal with even the slightest bias concern.

In terms of keeping pages updated the Skyp SERP on Mahalo had the news via three headlines syndicated via RSS. So, the Skype news was on the Skype page at Mahalo. Is the Skyp outage that big news? If it happens again, or becomes a trend maybe. But every service goes down at some point… not sure this is as major a news story for folks outside the “techcrunch 100k.”

Mahalo again for the non-stop feedback!!! I love it!!!

best jason

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