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Google Sidewiki

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Re: Google Sidewiki

#21

Post by Aardwolf »

INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

> Reddit, being a link aggregator

I know that technically being a link aggregator is reddit's main thing, but almost all my posting and reading has been more like a discussion forum, with most posts not being links but text posts (which may or may not have one or more links).

While one type of discussion can of course be the discussion about exactly 1 link, I've still always found it slightly weird that reddit makes this distinction between a link and a text post, rather than just have text post (in which you can put links anyway).

Re: Google Sidewiki

#22

Post by codetrotter »

bloopernova wrote: post #17
INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

Maybe a federated wiki? (Since the 'verse is cool right now) Bad actors would probably ruin it :(

> federated

Make a browser plug-in that searches the URL of the currently shown page on all Kbin and Lemmy instances (federated alternatives to Reddit).

Show the comments in a sidebar.

That’s a modern federated “Sidewiki” right there :D

Re: Google Sidewiki

#23

Post by paulryanrogers »

quaintdev wrote: post #20
INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

I was thinking of doing something like this few days back. I planned out everything like writing a sidebar extension for Chrome & Firefox. The whole time I was wondering why anyone else did not think of this. Then I realize this will not work on Mobile and almost gave up on idea immediately.

It is rather strange Chrome has no extensions on mobile. I wonder if it has more to do with iOS or an insidious desire to control more of the web experience.

Re: Google Sidewiki

#24

Post by pavel_lishin »

INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

> And yes I know that's a catch 22 because there would be no moderation, but let's put that technical detail aside for a moment

You cannot put that aside while considering this idea, because without moderation this idea is dead in the water at best, and becomes a harassment tool at worst.

"I know my new pollution-free power plants cause urine and feces to emerge unbidden from people's ceiling fans at night, but let's put that technical detail aside for a moment."

Re: Google Sidewiki

#25

Post by halflings »

hexage1814 wrote: post #3

I remember this, I always found the concept fascinating. But looking back, looking at what the web has become, there was no chance this could have ever worked. At best, it being centralized, it would have become essentially a Google controled social-media-ish space where all the "inconvenient" comments would be removed anyway. Probably Google would even disable the comments on some pages, like disabling sidewiki comm…

> Hell, Netflix used to have an option where people could leave reviews on the movies they watched

There's a very specific reason Netflix removed reviews / star ratings in favour of a simple thumbs up & down system: those were mostly used to recommend content, and they found that ratings are uninformative (something true for most recommender system applications) and even harmful because giving a precise score keeps many people from giving feedback -> lowering the quality of recommendations. See this article [1].

The same train of thought would go for something like Google Sidewiki: it likely just didn't get enough traction (vs digg, reddit, etc.)

[1] https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/why-netflix-removed-it...

Re: Google Sidewiki

#26

Post by Vermeulen »

Problem with this idea is moderation - Google is not going to moderate a discussion that is happening in the side bar of your site.

What is love to see, and tried to make once, is something like this but just shows discussions about a URL from Hacker News/Reddit. Sites that are moderated and people have actual quality discussions (usually). I tried this a long time ago (2014) with a extension project: http://www.3delement.com/?p=394

Searches for discussions and backlinks to your current URL on used. I gave the project up pretty quick but it's still something I'd love to see as a Chrome extension (though might not actually be possible now after the Reddit API changes)

Re: Google Sidewiki

#27

Post by codetrotter »

xnx wrote: post #18
hospitalJail wrote: post #2

This sounds great. Although, we basically have the same thing when people share links and people comment on them. Classic Google though. Gosh Google was the chosen one, how far they have fallen.

> Although, we basically have the same thing when people share links and people comment on them. True, but having the comments appear naturally in context makes all the difference. Imagine seeing comments/corrections on a New York Times article that aren't moderated by the paper, or comments on a real estate listing that list all the problems that the listing omits, or reviews of a show on Netflix, etc.

> real estate listing that list all the problems that the listing omits

For rental properties, or for houses for sale you mean?

Re: Google Sidewiki

#28

Post by RobotToaster »

paulryanrogers wrote: post #23
quaintdev wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was thinking of doing something like this few days back. I planned out everything like writing a sidebar extension for Chrome & Firefox. The whole time I was wondering why anyone else did not think of this. Then I realize this will not work on Mobile and almost gave up on idea immediately.

It is rather strange Chrome has no extensions on mobile. I wonder if it has more to do with iOS or an insidious desire to control more of the web experience.

>I wonder if it has more to do with iOS or an insidious desire to control more of the web experience.

Both options are the latter, just from different companies.

Re: Google Sidewiki

#29

Post by RobotToaster »

bloopernova wrote: post #17
INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

Maybe a federated wiki? (Since the 'verse is cool right now) Bad actors would probably ruin it :(

I've wondered about a federated web comments system for a while. At least that makes moderation someone else's problem, lol.

Re: Google Sidewiki

#30

Post by pipeline_peak »

bloopernova wrote: post #17
INTPenis wrote: post #11

Didn't Firefox do something similar for a while? In effect it's not that much different from Reddit, being a link aggregator where people can comment on the links. The main difference would be that it works on any website and it doesn't have to be posted to reddit to spark a thread. I've read people's comments on here but I still think this is a great idea. As long as it's properly executed, meaning there should be n…

Maybe a federated wiki? (Since the 'verse is cool right now) Bad actors would probably ruin it :(

You can federate whether you want, but the key take is people have to actually host it to avoid big FAANG
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