[Search-l] Mahalo Greenhouse

[Allen Stern]

There is a HUGE difference between paying someone to blog and paying 
someone for a search result page. I keep going back to my bias argument 
and it's even more evident here. A blog by it's nature is opinion based. 
Your search engine is supposed to be objective (which it isn't now). 
Hiring writers that are not employees will allow for more favoritism. 
Google works because everyone has the same hand, with Mahalo, there is 
the human factor which puts certain sites (like your old friends and 
your new friends) higher than others. I asked about why Gizmodo wasn't 
on the iPhone page while engadget is there and received no reply. 
Wikipedia offers users a chance to correct what's wrong, Mahalo does not 
have that ability.

And the problem is that once you pay x person $15 to make a page about 
CenterNetworks, 15 minutes later it's already out-of-date.

And Jason, understand that for most people, any money people will run 
to. You are basically standing on the corner handing out cash, who 
wouldn't take it? C'mon. Do you think the Wikipedians are coming over 
saying, "boy this is better than anything ever, I want to work here?" 
No, they are saying, "I can make a few bucks". Knowing that a page 
probably takes 15 minute of searching Google to create, there is 
obviously a lot of money to be made. Any average earner would want to do 
this.

And what happens when these new search engine authors get paid off to 
link x or y from a page. What controls do you have in place to protect 
from that? Do you have a list that you are using to determine who gets 
pages made first, or can these new people just make pages about whatever 
they want? I am still a bit confused as to why there is a CK page when 
he is not a top 10k. I have said all along that you would have earned 
brownie points with me had you stuck to the top 10k and not put your 
friends in there first.

-- Allen Stern
CenterNetworks
www.centernetworks.com


Jason Calacanis wrote:
> On 6/13/07, Seth Finkelstein <sethf at sethf.com> wrote:
>   
>> http://www.metafilter.com/44548/Weblogs-Inc-Contract#1021977
>>         Now, now, Jason - you're a businessman. I'm sure you don't
>> pay more than the market will bear. Which is better than zero, of
>> course, where relevant. But still, a job's a job.
>>     
>
> Actually, with Weblogs, Inc. we did get to the point where we paid
> more than we had to--much more. We started with a revenue share
> (didn't work), then moved to $2 a blog post and all the way up to $15
> (that was over two years).
>
> This is just the start for the Mahalo Greenhouse. if it works who
> knows where we will take it. However, I am a fan of paying people for
> editorial work WHILE they are making the world better. You can do
> both... I know, it sounds crazy.
>
> Now, if folks don't want the money we're gonna donate it to Wikipedia.
> I think this is the perfect balance between folks who need to pay some
> bills and folks who don't want... umm... money.
>
>   
>>         People sell flowers at airports for the greater glory of
>> their guru. Real-world economics is a complicated topic :-).
>>     
>
> Seth... are you saying that Jimbo.... ummm... never mind.... stop
> being a troll. :-)
>
>   
>>> http://greenhouse.mahalo.com/
>>>       
>>         Piecework! Yet another old business model brought to digital
>> sharecropping :-).
>>     
>
> Well, we did piece work for blogs like autoblog, engadget, joystiq,
> etc. and it worked out ever well for folks. Also, we are hiring folks
> full-time as well, and I think many of the greenhouse freelances will
> be first in line for those jobs (if they want them).
>
> Some folks like working a project basis, some like full-time... really
> a personal decision.
>
> I happy to say that we had dozens and dozens of Wikipedians apply
> today... really qualified folks!
>
> best jason
> ---------------------
> Jason McCabe Calacanis
> CEO, http://www.Mahalo.com
> Mobile: 310-456-4900
> My blog: http://www.calacanis.com
> AOL IM/Skype: jasoncalacanis
>
> Add my podcast to iTunes:
> http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=204314545
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