41–50 of 74 posts
We really need to stop putting Calacanis discussions on here.
I'd prefer a "blacklist" field in prefs where you could add strings for stories that you don't want to see. Probably wouldn't help HN's caching strategy though...
Calacanis' fantasy all along was to own Wikipedia but fill it full of ads. He used to rant endlessly about how much money they'd make if they monetized Wikipedia. Mahalo is his attempt to make a seedier low-brow version of Wikipedia that's ad-laden. This move should not be a surprise. That's just my opinion though.
Kinda off topic, but I think he's right about wikipedia serving ads. They have so many page views, they could put up a couple of image or text ads on the side and make it look very tasteful--unlike mahalo and the other ad filled pages of the internet. Expanding on that, maybe they could only serve non-profits, giving them ridiculously low click or view rates. How could Jimmy Wales not be interested in that?
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.
Sure, but using Wikipedia content in manner permitted by its license is not 'stealing' it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd prefer a "blacklist" field in prefs where you could add strings for stories that you don't want to see. Probably wouldn't help HN's caching strategy though...
There is a Greasemonkey script named HN Toolkit that allows you to accomplish this: http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/25039
for as much as he rips on Jimmy Wales, I'm sure Jimmy would love to make a spectacle of this
That someone running a shitty recycled content farm is making money off of it doesn't alter a damn thing.
And that's not to say that Calacanis is adding anything of value to the web or anything like that, he's certainly not, as far as I can tell, but I just can't get too worked up when someone actually makes use of the license freedoms that we all fight so strenuously to spread...
WTF re: Google, though, I can't believe for one second that this is not on their radar?
The guy is trying to build a business that creates jobs, and hes putting some of his own capital on the line to do it. Thats the most important point here - he's making jobs.
The guy isnt selling blood diamonds or anything, at worst he's gaming a search engine. Sure, he's using some wikipedia content to run some tests. But, haven't the same people on here also run tests on their businesses - maybe incomplete features, bugs, overselling, trying to keep up. Thats all part of building something from nothing.
Give him a break - he's trying to create more jobs, but hes from a position where doesn't have to bother.
Seriously, this level of attention doesn't seem to be rational anymore. The guy is trying to build a business that creates jobs, and hes putting some of his own capital on the line to do it. Thats the most important point here - he's making jobs. The guy isnt selling blood diamonds or anything, at worst he's gaming a search engine. Sure, he's using some wikipedia content to run some tests. But, haven't the same peopl…
Seriously, this level of attention doesn't seem to be rational anymore. The guy is trying to build a business that creates jobs, and hes putting some of his own capital on the line to do it. Thats the most important point here - he's making jobs. The guy isnt selling blood diamonds or anything, at worst he's gaming a search engine. Sure, he's using some wikipedia content to run some tests. But, haven't the same peopl…
If it ever gets to the point where Calacanis gets a big exit, business magazine/blog articles will be written about him and how successful he was and detailing some of what he did to generate that wealth, and some future entrepreneurs will see that, look up to him, and say "Hm, that doesn't sound so hard, I can do that too", and then go off and make their own spam sites for fun and profit.
It's really lose, lose, win (for Calacanis) if we let him get away with that, and as disproportionate internet users, we're the ones that will be hurt the most by search engines becoming more spammy.
No break for Mahalo, please. If Google dropped them and all the other MFA sites, that would be better than 5 Christmases.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Do Linux distributions take Firefox and laden it with advertisements?
They'd certainly be within their rights if they did.
The liberal licensing of Free software/content does not mean every use of those freedoms is a good and positive thing. And nobody is being inconsistent by treating it as a bad thing, while still recognizing it's within one's rights to do.