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Google To Shut Down Google Answers |
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 29 November 2006 |
 After over four years Google Answers is shutting down. No specific reasons for the shut-down were offered to the dedicated team of researchers but there were hints of dwindling participation in the service.
Google Answers was launched in 2003 as a search service where customers (or Clients) ask questions, offer a price for an answer and volunteers called Google Answers Researchers, answer them after an indepth research period. If a question is answered to the satisfaction of the asker, Google keeps 25% of the payment while the Researcher receives the remaining 75% along with any tips that may be added by the client. No money is exchanged if the question remains unanswered. According to Wikipedia , Google Answers has 500 Researchers but only a fraction of that number remain actively involved.
As part of Google Answers first birthday celebration, Google sent a surprise "birthday gift" to each Researcher in the form of a fleece lap throw with the word 'Google' embroidered at one corner.
According to an email to Google Researchers on Wednesday, the service will no longer accept new questions as of November 30th and by December 30th Researchers will no longer be able to answer questions. The question and answer database will remain accessible for the time being.With files from Wikipedia |
