Knowledge Sharing Platform Goolge Knol Goes Live

The long awaited Google Knol has finally gone live on its beta version. “Knol” which is the short form for “knowledge” is another platform featured by Google which allows users to write and share their knowledge on certain topics or fields. Existing Google Users can log in to Google Knol and start writing their “knol”. For instance, users can share their experience or knowledge on some medical topics. They can write whatever they know on the topics and they can take credit for their writing, provide credentials, and elicit peer reviews and comments. Readers will thence provide comments, feedback or other related information. Via this platform, readers from various backgrounds who have individual interests can exchange their views and share their experience.

“With Knol, we are introducing a new method for writers to work together that we call ‘moderated collaboration,'” Cedric Dupont, a Google product manager, and Michael McNally, a Google software engineer, wrote in a blog post. “With this feature, any reader can make suggested edits to a knol which the author may then choose to accept, reject, or modify before these contributions become visible to the public.”

Google Knol features a wide range of topics from scientific concepts to medical information; from geography and history to entertainment, etc. There were a few hundred articles available when it was launched. Readers can browse through these knowledge articles and share their views. There are no limitations to the topics which users can write on. However, all pieces are subject to Terms of Service and Content Policy to provide a beneficial experience for all users and compliance with applicable laws.