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Google just launched prizes.org

prizes.org

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Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#21

Post by modernerd »

Screenshot when logged in: https://img.skitch.com/20110704-j2fdjyed367jcehytnqfp5mea4.p...

Initial thoughts and observations:

1. It's 'Stack Overflow for the common (wo)man' with cash instead of reputation.

2. Alternative pitch: "99designs meets Yahoo Answers."

3. The top prize available at the moment awards $50.

4. The sign-up process could be a lot better. Prompting sign-up via twitter/Facebook, then prompting for a prizes.org-only username and password is an unusual approach.

5. 'Contest' creation is currently by invitation only.

6. Answers you give that are accepted become the IP of the person who awarded the prize. (http://prizes.org/faq )

7. I'm not yet convinced that there's a huge market for paid responses when the Stack Exchange network and Quora both offer large userbases who give their time to answer questions for free.

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#22

Post by dstein64 »

code_duck wrote: post #15
gojomo wrote: post #14

This is a Google offering that only allows Facebook and Twitter sign-in. That's a bit odd; perhaps it exists for the purpose of getting people to opt their Facebook/Twitter info over to Google? More evidence for this theory: here's what Prizes asks for via Facebook Connect: …name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, list of friends, and any other information I've shared with everyone… Prizes may access my dat…

About a month ago, Google started showing me info here and there referring to people I follow on Twitter. I didn't understand at the time and still don't know how they matched up my Google account to my Twitter account. The Facebook request details you're quoting are not unusual.

> I didn't understand at the time and still don't know how they matched up my Google account to my Twitter account

The information on http://www.google.com/s2/u/0/search/social can be informative for checking how Google links you with other people. Even if you didn't share your Twitter username with Google, I suppose that if someone on your contacts list shared their Twitter username, Google would be able to make the connection.

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#23

Post by [deleted] »

dvdhsu wrote: post #9

This seems fairly exploitable. I post a question, and wait for answers. I create another account and answer it. I pick my own answer as the best answer, and I lose no money. I gain the information that others gave me for free.

[deleted]

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#24

Post by gojomo »

code_duck wrote: post #15
gojomo wrote: post #14

This is a Google offering that only allows Facebook and Twitter sign-in. That's a bit odd; perhaps it exists for the purpose of getting people to opt their Facebook/Twitter info over to Google? More evidence for this theory: here's what Prizes asks for via Facebook Connect: …name, profile picture, gender, networks, user ID, list of friends, and any other information I've shared with everyone… Prizes may access my dat…

About a month ago, Google started showing me info here and there referring to people I follow on Twitter. I didn't understand at the time and still don't know how they matched up my Google account to my Twitter account. The Facebook request details you're quoting are not unusual.

At one point, I'm pretty sure Google asked me if my Twitter account was me. That is, they inferred it, based on some number of available signals.

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#26

Post by massarog »

dvdhsu wrote: post #9

This seems fairly exploitable. I post a question, and wait for answers. I create another account and answer it. I pick my own answer as the best answer, and I lose no money. I gain the information that others gave me for free.

This. When it comes to money, people will exploit it as much as possible.

From their FAQ: "Do I have to pick the winner of my contest? If your contest receives less than 5 entries by the time it ends, you're not obligated to pick a winner. You have the option to extend the contest for seven (7) days for free. 'Extend Contest' and 'Contact us' link information is available on the contest page.

So, what if I just forget to log back in and award people the prize? Does google automatically pick a winner?

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#27

Post by adamzochowski »

modernerd wrote: post #21

Screenshot when logged in: https://img.skitch.com/20110704-j2fdjyed367jcehytnqfp5mea4.p... Initial thoughts and observations: 1. It's 'Stack Overflow for the common (wo)man' with cash instead of reputation. 2. Alternative pitch: "99designs meets Yahoo Answers." 3. The top prize available at the moment awards $50. 4. The sign-up process could be a lot better. Prompting sign-up via twitter/Facebook, then prompting for…

so it is much like google answers?

http://answers.google.com/answers/

(( imho :: google answers was a project that could have been stack exchange // 99 designs, but google never pushed it where it could have gotten to ))

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#28

Post by bemmu »

emeltzer wrote: post #25

Is this really a google property? It tweets for you, follows its twitter account without telling you, and spams you as well.

It's by Max Levchin's company Slide, which was acquired by Google last year. They have many apps that are popular on Facebook and were popular on MySpace.

Re: Google just launched prizes.org

#29

Post by mattdeboard »

gojomo wrote: post #16
clloyd wrote: post #6

cough Google you own your own single sign on technology cough

But if you sign in with your Google account, how will Prizes (and by extension, every other Google service) get your list of Facebook friends?

If G+ wants my list of Facebook friends, all they have to do is ask. I'll gladly hand it over.
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