The question is 'why did Y Combinator allow Quora to join'.
The article points out the obvious problems with Quora. However, what I don't understand with some of these large VC backed web efforts that do not make money, is, why don't they try the obvious 'run a few adverts' business model in selected regions.
They could run adverts on Quora for those folk in Australia (where advertising is generally as predominant as the U.S.) and see how many people click through the ads or ignore the site because they cannot stand the adverts. It is not rocket science.
But, instead of trying to earn some actual money, they stay on the speculative bubble. It is as if they are putting off the inevitable. If the BBC can run ads for international viewers but not licence fee paying Brits, then why cannot the likes of Quora, Pinterest or any of these other web behemoths do something similar, just run a few ads outside the home market? If it doesn't work then they can take the adverts off. It is something that can be experimented with, it is not like it would a one time 'lose virginity' thing that cannot be undone.
I personally find Quora to lack some authenticity. It is like those cults that have all the religious symbols, rituals and names yet you know they are not 'real'. (I know 'real' religions are fake, but the fakery is not immediately evident, their traditions have evolved rather than been adopted). With Stack Overflow, no matter how poor a question is, you know there is someone that needs that answer (or at least needed it once). With Quora you feel people don't ask questions 'as if their life depended on it' and there is no altruistic reason to answer anything. If you are to answer to 'puff up your profile' (as per getting points on SO or even here), then, is there any feeling that those 'points' are worth anything? Who cares!!!
I don't feel Quora have built up a body of knowledge that is worth anything. If they closed tomorrow then nobody would be stuck in their job, or left unable to do research or feel that some library had been burnt to the ground.
Looking at how Wikipedia is funded - essentially a charity with no capitalist-entity overheads like marketing - looks to me like it is extremely clever and shrewd.
It's unlcear if they are being practical or cynical, but this let's everyone "use their imagination" when doing valuations. TLDR: "No data" is better than "bad data"...That is the strategy.
Comments
The question is 'why did Y Combinator allow Quora to join'.
The article points out the obvious problems with Quora. However, what I don't understand with some of these large VC backed web efforts that do not make money, is, why don't they try the obvious 'run a few adverts' business model in selected regions.
They could run adverts on Quora for those folk in Australia (where advertising is generally as predominant as the U.S.) and see how many people click through the ads or ignore the site because they cannot stand the adverts. It is not rocket science.
But, instead of trying to earn some actual money, they stay on the speculative bubble. It is as if they are putting off the inevitable. If the BBC can run ads for international viewers but not licence fee paying Brits, then why cannot the likes of Quora, Pinterest or any of these other web behemoths do something similar, just run a few ads outside the home market? If it doesn't work then they can take the adverts off. It is something that can be experimented with, it is not like it would a one time 'lose virginity' thing that cannot be undone.
I personally find Quora to lack some authenticity. It is like those cults that have all the religious symbols, rituals and names yet you know they are not 'real'. (I know 'real' religions are fake, but the fakery is not immediately evident, their traditions have evolved rather than been adopted). With Stack Overflow, no matter how poor a question is, you know there is someone that needs that answer (or at least needed it once). With Quora you feel people don't ask questions 'as if their life depended on it' and there is no altruistic reason to answer anything. If you are to answer to 'puff up your profile' (as per getting points on SO or even here), then, is there any feeling that those 'points' are worth anything? Who cares!!!
I don't feel Quora have built up a body of knowledge that is worth anything. If they closed tomorrow then nobody would be stuck in their job, or left unable to do research or feel that some library had been burnt to the ground.
Looking at how Wikipedia is funded - essentially a charity with no capitalist-entity overheads like marketing - looks to me like it is extremely clever and shrewd.
It's unlcear if they are being practical or cynical, but this let's everyone "use their imagination" when doing valuations. TLDR: "No data" is better than "bad data"...That is the strategy.