It seems Yahoo! Answers is becoming quite addictive.

Without any help from us, our users have taken it upon themselves to form a support group. They have a logo and everything!

There are many reasons why this site is so engaging, but I’ll comment on just one that stands out to me.

The fact that the system allows for feedback and help within itself goes a long way to fostering an active, happy community. This situation is pretty unique to Y! Answers. Many sites have great forums, we have a separate one too, but it’s always external to the basic functionality of the site and usually limited to the heavy users. In this case, when some smartass asks a question saying, “What’s the whole point of Yahoo Answers?” and a bunch of real people give them great responses, they are both surprised and engaged. They’re potentially on their way to becoming Answerholics.

From the support group home page:

>OUR TWELVE STEP PROGRAM… (Generously written by Ebob)

1. We admitted we were powerless over questions and that made our lives unmanageable.
2. Came to believe the Hamster would return us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our wants and our actions to the keyboard as we are able to type on it.
4. Made a searching and fearless search of the Internet.
5. Admitted to the Hamster, ourselves, and anyone who will read the answers, what we are doing.
6. Became willing respond to noise.
7. Insatiably demanded more features.
8. Made a list of all questions we had answered and repeated them to co-workers, friends, family, clerks, cops……
9. Typed a fast response whenever possible, except when to do so would beg the question.
10. Continued to do this daily.
11. Sought through research and contemplation to improve our ability to churn out thousands of answers, s we see them.
12. Having had an intellectual deadening as the result of these steps, we solicit other people to join Yahoo! Answers, and practice the Q/A format in all our affairs.

>THE YAA SERENTITY PRAYER…(Generously written by Yielding)

>God grant me the serenity to accept the answers I cannot give, The courage to resist the answers I can, and the wisdom to withhold from expletives regarding chickens and eggs.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 4th, 2006 at 8:12 am and is filed under Musings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.