Quora Is Not for Normal People

I signed in on Quora looking for some answers about a product who boasts about using linux servers but don't offer linux based desktop support and to express how hipocritical these companies can be and was blocked from Quora because I have to use my real name. These people actually use the information you provide on your facebook and can censor you freely if you express anything that sounds incoherently (against their ideas). So for me QUORA SUCKS! and big time. 

Hello Gini:

Thank you for posting this! I have to admit that Quora looked promising at first sight. I signed up and tried answering some questions. Then editors started changing most of the things I was writing. While typos happen (and I am grateful for people pointing them out), what I do not like is when someone tries to completely rewrite my answers.

So, I figured that since I was not deemed good enough, I had rather focus on other sites.

To me, the service is not worth the hype.

Signed up w/Quora in late December 2010. Have had nothing but wannabe MLM'rs following me and sending me emails about their miracle methods for making millions on the Internet. What a waste of cloud time!

I have zero use for Quora. I signed up. I said 'meh'. I love how new sites and networks come out make a splash everyone goes crazy then it fades away. Chat Roulette anyone?

Gini, how long have you been on quora? Have you had a lot of interaction?

@ginidietrich sizes up Quora, says it's not for "normal" ppl -- what do you think? http://tinyurl.com/68u9ys2

As I tweeted you the other day, Gini, I created a Quora account a few weeks ago as a latecomer (despite normally being an early adopter of such trends) and was unimpressed. I clicked around, answered a question here or there, but have not returned. It didn't inspire me in the way LinkedIn Answers inspires me to constantly ask and answer.

Part of my skepticism stems from the fact too many so-called A-List bloggers are referencing how amazing the site is -- but nobody else is writing about it. Makes one wonder why, eh?

Thank you, Gini, and thanks to all the commentors. Some good information here. I appreciate the insight. I'd been poking around in Quora a bit; it is nice to know others are sharing similar challenges. I knew this would be the right place to ask the quesion.

I've had fun experimenting with Quora. It's interesting to see, for example, what answers get the most votes. I try to post the answers with pictures (via URLs) to make the answer more appealing, and that helps. I've tried being pithy versus being comprehensive, and both can work, depending. Answering a question lots of people are interested in helps. Providing a really useful answer to a popular question helps. And you can cite someone else's wonderful answer out on the Web, and link to it., and that helps. I did that with this question (http://www.quora.com/Which-place-should-a-technophile-visit-on-a-first-trip-to-San-Francisco-and-Silicon-Valley-in-March-2011), and it was great to see that people from several different countries appreciated it.

The Scobles of the world get tons more votes than I do because they've stored up so much goodwill elsewhere that it plays out anywhere they dwell online, including Quora. The people who matter are smart enough to realize, though, that just because someone got 158 votes for an answer doesn't mean it's the best answer.

You learn what you're passionate about by the questions you answer and the questions you search for answers to. It's nice to know that some people actually read what I posted, in some cases liked it, and in others suggested improvements to it. I haven't had much trouble with editors--they made small, reasonable suggestions for changes. It's a good service. I wish the personalization were better, but they've made strides in that area.

Preferences differ depending on what you care about. I like Twitter, but don't use Facebook much. LinkedIn has some value, but I don't post or dwell there. It doesn't bother me that Quora's not for everyone, or that so many of the commenters here dislike it. I do a lot of research, writing, and analysis. Quora's thoughtfully designed; it's highly interactive, and gives you good feedback. I don't like the other Q&A sites at all, except when I'm troubleshooting a computer or something.

Why can't it be good for just some of us? The probability of finding someone interesting to follow on Quora is higher than on Twitter. But maybe I'm too much of a wonk.

Not for normal people???? I'll be signing up immediately!

I haven't used Quora a lot, and am still trying to get my arms around it. I certainly don't think it's a "Twitter killer" or anything like that, and I can certainly see its value in getting answers directly from CEOs and true experts.

One of the things I'm trying is, rather than follow people back automatically on Quora, just because we're connected on Twitter, for example, is to follow questions instead. I get more value that way, and I really don't see the point of following someone just because they're there (and that goes for my "follow attitude" across the board). If anything, following a range of people will probably dilute my Quora stream to the point where completely random Q&As - that I have no interest in - will show up, making my experience even less valuable.

Hey Gini, great topic! Quora is a great research tool to bend the left/right brain curve. I'm continually AMAZED at the amount of time some folks put into their answers (aka: find the time). I've had people edit my answers, but one guy actually took the time to send me a personal message to explain the rationale behind each of his edits of my stuff. That's learning community. Certainly you have the insider clicks gaming the votes for their incestious MO's. Seen that video before. But otherwise good research tool. Keep up the good deed of calling out The Spin!

I really like Quora and have received some really generous, detailed answers to very specific questions, the quality of which I just don't get on LinkedIn and other sites. I actually like the downvoting because I think it makes the system more balanced and real. It helps me understand how my answers are genuinely perceived so I don't get too full of myself. I have had one answer downvoted and frankly, having read it back over and the question it related to, I could see why. And I really appreciate the absence of spam and blatant self-promotion. Finally, if you use Quora for non-work related interests there is some truly amazing stuff in there about music, philosophy and art. I'm digging it for sure.

I'm with you. I poked around it and found it hard to use and time consuming. Some of the answers are cool, but it does seem like a popularity contesthat I don't have the time, energy, or right jeans for : 0

All the Quora rocks folks selling the opportunity to share your knowledge somewhere other than your own space is funny. Like Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and others were not enough?

I think Quora is useful in some ways, and in other ways causes some frustration. I've used it both to crowdsource answers for blog posts, such as my post on "Pitching through social media, yea or nay?" (which received answers from techcrunch and PR pros like Richard Laermer) and also to respond to inquiries about press releases (I work for Vocus/PRWeb). To me, it has been useful in that aspect. However, the "voting down" of answers is a downfall of the site as competitors can vote down an answer anonymously and the editing of questions and answers makes me uneasy and worried that something might be taken out of context, or edited beyond its meaning, which causes a lot of confusion (it's happened before and I received some unnecessary backlash).

I completely agree with you. I have been on and attempted to participate. But I've found the "editorial" group intensely frustrating. What if you don't agree with what the editors think? Even if you have vastly more experience in the field? Doesn't matter. And that, I think, mitigates the usefulness of the place. Sure, there is cool and useful info. But it doesn't allow for the whole picture. Plus I don't think the interface makes it easy to find what you need quickly. And who has all day to spend on Quora? I've moved on for now.