hype 0 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Recently Google has created a new feature to it's google toolbar called the Google Sidewiki. Official Blog Post Google Sidewiki Google Sidewiki allows you to comment anything about any website right at your browser. You are only requires to install Google Toolbar and it will work with any website in the world. You can browse through what ppl have commented on the website you are on and google will display the comments or entries that are of high quality first. I find that it's a very interesting concept and it will really brings together a community of users of the same website even though the website does not allows or provide a source of community. What are your thoughts of this new feature from Google? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mahesh2k 0 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 It's nice tool. Only thing i've found against it is that Sidewiki is shipped with google toolbar. And i'm against of using any toolbar on browser. Toolbars irritate big time. They hijack your browser and 404 pages. Also sometimes you're redirected to google results for their marketting purpose. You waste a lot of bandwidth when toolbar takes over your browser. It sends some data back to google server even if you don't want. In such situation if sidewiki is integrated with toolbar then it is more annoying than good feature. I would love to use it if it becomes separate download and not on toolbar. I liked their searchwiki feature to customize results. and i like the idea of sidewiki as well. It's just that toolbar download is annoying and i consider it as hands down. Anyway, there is good review of Sidewiki on Google System blog. Do check it out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BCD 1 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 (edited) Yes, it can be really useful to surfers. Especially because the data/comments posted in the sidewiki are in Google's control. So visitors can post their reviews/thoughts openly. Many a times websites delete the content posted by the visitors which they think is inappropriate, but actually it might be an honest comment exposing the truths behind that product or service offered by that website. At the same time the opposite can happen too, that is users posting comments which defame the website. @mahesh2k: There is a way to read Google Side wiki comments without installing the google toolbar. There is a bookmarklet to let you read the comments from sidewiki displayed on a new page. You can find the bookmarklet on this website. Yet another service from Google for web domination. Edited September 26, 2009 by BCD (see edit history) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mahesh2k 0 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 @mahesh2k: There is a way to read Google Side wiki comments without installing the google toolbar. There is a bookmarklet to let you read the comments from sidewiki displayed on a new page. You can find the bookmarklet on this website. Yet another service from Google for web domination. Thanks for the bookmark-let. It is working for me. And agree with your opnion about defaming some websites. I find this behavior of comment a bit invitation to SPAMmers. I mean just look at it, some people can use it to spam as well. Though google will filter those comments and even block profiles which spam. But indeed it's going to invite few spammers. This is just another place for spammers to plant link bombs. Anyway, nice service from Google. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hype 0 Report post Posted September 26, 2009 Yup the packaging of google sidewiki with the google toolbar was a drawback, that's why I'm still not using the sidewiki although it will really enrich my browsing experience. Now when I read BCD post I'm really excited, there's really a way to use sidewiki without the toolbar! I'm going to try it now and thanks alot BCD.Good job Google I should say, they really made surfing of the web much more fun than those boring Microsoft. I'm expecting more cool and fun stuff from Google soon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
