How Quora died

I never liked the site... It's always a game... Oh that's answering a different question...

When I visit Quora, mainly through it being a result for something I've searched for on Google, I can never quite understand what's the question, the answer, and what's an answer to something completely different. So I've never felt compelled to stay or join myself.

Also, for a while I just hit a login wall, which of course makes you not click a link there the next time.

An odd takeaway. The article seems to imply that most of their issues stem from spam and low effort questions/answers. Both from users and their own AI. More gatekeeping might have been the solution here.

The UI isn't really mentioned directly in the article, and is another major problem.

It's optimised to keep you reading. But you don't want to keep reading, you just want your original question answered.

Unfortunately, they style all the page components the same, and you are forced to read to see if it's an answer to your question, a 'related question', or something irrelevant (like the ChatGPT example given).

On top of that, it cuts off most of the answer(s) anyway 'below the fold' of the fragment it's contained in.

Example where I googled 'quora van dimensions': https://www.quora.com/Is-there-much-of-a-height-difference-b...

1. AI component

2. Relevant answer, but arguably a lazy one that assumes that it's a post 2020 model (instead of 2013-9). Also does not address the person's question for 'in the UK' (people answering should advise if model differs between the UK & US). Also assumes that the asker has not already looked at that spec sheet.

3. Fairly related / useful context, I suppose.

4. A 'related' question's answer, for "What is the height of a standard 53ft. semi trailer?". (Seriously?!)

5. A 'related' question's answer, for "How tall can your load be above the cab on a flatbed 2016 Ford F550?" (Seriously?!)

6. 'Related questions'

7. Answers to completely different questions.

The UI is hostile to the readers' needs.

So that, along with the poor quality responses mentioned (usually some business consultant giving vague pointless lists or pointing to some SaaS offering) means that "Site:old.reddit.com" or niche related websites is usually a more direct path to an answer to me.