Got a Burning Question? Ask the Net - Pogue’s Posts Blog - NYTimes.com
That’s the real breakthrough of Aardvark: its confidence that people will want to help out. Without that, the whole thing would break down. The site points out that there are lots of reasons people participate: “the satisfaction of helping someone out at just the right time, the gratification of having someone appreciate your opinion, the pride of being an expert, the fun of a non-obtrusive diversion,” and so on.
And that’s my favorite part of the whole thing. The knowledge that despite all the ugliness and meanness online, sites like Aardvark give the well-meaning, kind hearts out there a chance to shine.
A tool that facilitates collaboration and relies on participation to make it work. I'll give it a try.
