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Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

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Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#21

Post by jacquesm »

Willie_Dynamite wrote: post #19
jacquesm wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So does every other wikipedia clone site. But that's besides the point, he claims that mahalo is built with their users' content, clearly that is not the case.

It said right there on the page I looked at that the information was from wikipedia.

As the title of this posting suggests, that's apparently the backup plan because they lack enough original content.

The fact that they attribute it is nice but does not detract from that point.

JC is on the record stating more than once that mahalo.com is built using user supplied content, he seems to have stretched that definition to now include the content of other sites as well.

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#22

Post by jrockway »

Why should I care about this? Because right now, I don't, and I'm about ready to start flagging any article that mentions Jason Calacanis.

If you hate someone and what they do, don't give them reams of free press! Nobody would ever have heard of him or Mahalo if it hasn't been for people whining about him/it on their blog...

Also, the GFDL, one of Wikipedia's licenses, says you can "copy and distribute the Document in any medium, either commercially or noncommercially".

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#23

Post by jrockway »

jacquesm wrote: post #14
apowell wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but using Wikipedia content in manner permitted by its license is not 'stealing' it.

Fair enough, that's a misleading title. 'Lift' instead of 'Steal' or maybe 'copy' would be better.

"Redistribute under the terms of the GFDL."

Let me guess... Linux distributions are "stealing" Firefox? Oh, there isn't some holy war against that, so it's a good thing. Right.

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#24

Post by JacobAldridge »

jrockway wrote: post #22

Why should I care about this? Because right now, I don't, and I'm about ready to start flagging any article that mentions Jason Calacanis. If you hate someone and what they do, don't give them reams of free press! Nobody would ever have heard of him or Mahalo if it hasn't been for people whining about him/it on their blog... Also, the GFDL, one of Wikipedia's licenses, says you can "copy and distribute the Document i…

"Nobody would ever have heard of him or Mahalo if it hasn't been for people whining about him"

Except maybe people completing a Google search looking for meaningful information, and finding a MFA page with minimal or no content.

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#25

Post by JacobAldridge »

dtby wrote: post #20
JacobAldridge wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm kind of ambivalent on that point. Part of me suspects that bad things happen when good people just stand by and watch. I also think each of these is another data point in a Google discussion, more than about Jason.

I don't understand the "bad thing" which is happening here. Are we supposed to be so thoroughly invested in the quality of Google search results that it's a personal affront when someone games the system?

I am, when they game the system without adding value to the end user (and note that's a general claim, not aimed at Mahalo specifically). And if you let one get away with it, others will follow, until the search-engine system breaks down.

Now that could mean a shift as revolutionary as the shift to search engines originally was. Or maybe, because at the moment almost all gaming is targeted at the Google gorilla, it may mean Google loses some relevance and falls back to the pack in terms of market share. Maybe either of those would be good. But why take the risk?

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#26

Post by bantam »

jrockway wrote: post #23
jacquesm wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fair enough, that's a misleading title. 'Lift' instead of 'Steal' or maybe 'copy' would be better.

"Redistribute under the terms of the GFDL." Let me guess... Linux distributions are "stealing" Firefox? Oh, there isn't some holy war against that, so it's a good thing. Right.

Do Linux distributions take Firefox and laden it with advertisements?

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#27

Post by terrellm »

dtby wrote: post #20
JacobAldridge wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm kind of ambivalent on that point. Part of me suspects that bad things happen when good people just stand by and watch. I also think each of these is another data point in a Google discussion, more than about Jason.

I don't understand the "bad thing" which is happening here. Are we supposed to be so thoroughly invested in the quality of Google search results that it's a personal affront when someone games the system?

The "bad thing" is the inconsistency with Google letting large sites get away with the shady practices while punishing the little guy.

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#28

Post by [deleted] »

dtby wrote: post #20
JacobAldridge wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm kind of ambivalent on that point. Part of me suspects that bad things happen when good people just stand by and watch. I also think each of these is another data point in a Google discussion, more than about Jason.

I don't understand the "bad thing" which is happening here. Are we supposed to be so thoroughly invested in the quality of Google search results that it's a personal affront when someone games the system?

[deleted]

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#29

Post by cookiecaper »

bantam wrote: post #26
jrockway wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Redistribute under the terms of the GFDL." Let me guess... Linux distributions are "stealing" Firefox? Oh, there isn't some holy war against that, so it's a good thing. Right.

Do Linux distributions take Firefox and laden it with advertisements?

Some do. Ubuntu replaces the default home page with an Ubuntu-specific search box that points to the highest bidder's search engine.

It is perfectly compliant with GPL/GFDL to take the product and fill it with ads. There is nothing wrong with doing that.

Re: Jason Calacanis’ Backup Plan For Replacing Content: Steal It From Wikipedia

#30

Post by raganwald »

JacobAldridge wrote: post #24
jrockway wrote: post #22

Why should I care about this? Because right now, I don't, and I'm about ready to start flagging any article that mentions Jason Calacanis. If you hate someone and what they do, don't give them reams of free press! Nobody would ever have heard of him or Mahalo if it hasn't been for people whining about him/it on their blog... Also, the GFDL, one of Wikipedia's licenses, says you can "copy and distribute the Document i…

"Nobody would ever have heard of him or Mahalo if it hasn't been for people whining about him" Except maybe people completing a Google search looking for meaningful information, and finding a MFA page with minimal or no content.

Fair enough, but if I do a total reversal of my Canadian Socialist morality and play free market advocate, isn't this a problem that the market for search engines can solve? Why can't Bing show off how their search engine ignores mahalo and other wikipedia scraper sites and thus provides a more useful experience?
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