5 ms·

Quora Launches Blogging Platform

64 points by marbemac 14y ago

ececconi 14y ago
Quora really needs to fix this. I just launched my blog at http://ececconi.quora.com http://ececconi.quora.com and then opened up an incognito window on Chrome. Navigating to the site took me to the Quora signup homepage. I have to enter in the address again into the bar and press enter to navigate to the blog. One of the things I dislike most about Quora is how the website obscures the content in attempt to get more people to sign up for it.
- bmm6o 14y ago
  Were you able to get to your blog without signing up? I can't seem to manage to.
- pclark 14y ago
  this is a bug. https://twitter.com/artypapers/status/294217868097228801 https://twitter.com/artypapers/status/294217868097228801
- mnicole 14y ago
  It bothers me the sidebar doesn't follow me as I scroll, so in order to sort/organize your posts once I realize how many there are (which, because of endless scrolling, I don't), I have to go back up to the top.
- codezero 14y ago
  This shouldn't be happening, I double checked and I can access it from incognito now.
- jusben1369 14y ago
  http://ghost.quora.com/Why-we-ask-people-to-sign-in http://ghost.quora.com/Why-we-ask-people-to-sign-in
  - paulgb 14y ago
    As an early user, I started contributing less when I realized this was happening. Why should I contribute to something that's not going to be accessible by non-users? Wikipedia didn't need to wall off content to grow. Nor did stackoverflow, everything2, urbandictionary, and basically every user-generated content site since expert sexchange.
ggordan 14y ago
This seems like quite an interesting development. Isn't this method of 'blogging' something similar to whatMedium is doing? I wonder if they'll start allowing anyone to post ahead of schedule.
gergles 14y ago
Oh great, will I have to log in to read blog entries beyond the first one?
- codezero 14y ago
  No
  - znt 14y ago
    Not until they build enough traction.
- slig 14y ago
  No, but soon enough you'll have to download their app to see the other entries.
benatkin 14y ago
http://wordpress.org/ http://wordpress.org/
ivan_ah 14y ago
I am kind of disappointed that you cannot use LaTeX math in the entries. On quora it JUSTWORKED so I was hoping that it would work on their blogging platform but nope: $\sin\theta$ just sits there in its dollar signs... Feature request: math support.
- testing8888 14y ago
  Have you tried using: [math] \sin \theta [/math] (instead of $)
  - ivan_ah 14y ago
    Thx. It works, though the line height seems kind of weird. http://topicmodels.quora.com/Test-post http://topicmodels.quora.com/Test-post Still kind of cool to create a blog in two clicks ;)
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
bobsy 14y ago
Suprised to find I can access blogs without signing in. I used to enjoy Quora. I would browse, then sign in and comment when I felt I had something relevant to add. Unfortunately the forced login to view content and Quora automatically posting recently read articles onto Facebook made me stop visiting. These blogs won't draw me back. Many topics have aggregators you can submit you blog to. I would imagine building a readership on Quora will be no easier than running a self hosted blog.
- doktrin 14y ago
  This. Quora is probably the single most invasive site I have ever visited, short of something engineered with literally malicious intent. I will probably never significantly engage with it for this very reason. I am incredibly wary of even clicking a Quora link, and when I do it's typically from within the context of an incognito browsing session. edited : It's a shame, because the content itself can be quite good. I have simply lost confidence in the site, as I do not believe they respect my privacy one iota.
  - wilfra 14y ago
    Really don't get all the Quora hate on HN. I usually agree with HN on things but on this I'm the polar opposite. I love Quora (and HN).
    - lotso 14y ago
      Quora is great, but in my mind, it was the next Wikipedia-like site that is focused on Q&A, rather than a Facebook-like site that is focused on Q&A. The fact that they have to monetize hurts their user experience because they push features such as requiring you to sign to view answers.
      - deleted 14y ago
        [deleted]
      - devmach 14y ago
        Do you remember Experts-Exchange ? It was one of the best resources but they did what Quora does now, gained hate of geeks and they lost their competitive advantage. As long as Quaora continues to hide content, in long term, there is no way but bankruptcy.
hkmurakami 14y ago
>Quora’s new blogging tools will appeal to two demographics. The first are people without any web celebrity already. Quora’s Kah Keng Tay writes that Quora blogs suit people who “(1) don’t have a big, established online presence already and (2) don’t want to do the time-intensive, heavy lifting of marketing their blog and slowly building an audience. It's a double edged sword, since (1) might accelerate your path to internet stardom by a little bit, but by taking (2), you lose the control and a large part of the benefit that comes from achieving internet stardom (if that's you thing) in the first place. If you are looking for marketing enhancers for your online blogging, you're usually at least partly considering some ends beyond increasing eyeballs (affiliate ads, consulting leads, ebook sales, etc.) [1]. Using Quora as your primary platform puts a damper on the output of these 'ends', and using it as a secondary "Crosspost" location fragments your audience and increases your labor overhead anyways. Addendum: Benefit (2) is largely moot since its upfront cost reduction for a blogger is not going to be significantly larger than Tumblr, if at all. [1] If you weren't at least considering these things, then you'd probably be happy staying on your own domain.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- ma2rten 14y ago
  I saw quite a few consultants or e.g. lawyers already post on quora to establish themselves as experts in their field. I could imagine that this is interesting for them.
sergiotapia 14y ago
So, how do I create my blog on Quora? Or is it invite only? Edit: Create your blog here: http://www.quora.com/blog/add http://www.quora.com/blog/add Edit 2: Won't be using this. I can't write code snippets using a monospace font. What gives? http://sergiotapia.quora.com/adsf http://sergiotapia.quora.com/adsf
- tachim 14y ago
  You can click on "Create Blog" at the bottom of the "Write" menu at the top right of your home page.
- testing8888 14y ago
  You can write code blocks using the [code] tag. E.g. [code] Multiline code [/code] OR This is some inline code: [code] /usr/bin/xyz [/code]
  - codezero 14y ago
    Also, it supports syntax highlighting using [code=language]
capex 14y ago
The blog layout didn't have to exactly copy the default Wordpress layout. But the ease of use is awesome in terms of selecting topics to write about, showing the count of people following that topic. Quora would be a much more frequented place with blogs being visible without signing up.
jerrya 14y ago
Quora hate aside, given the supposed reasoning behind this, The Internet is full of experts with no one reading their insights. It takes a lot of work to build a following. So today Quora launches a blogging platform that automatically distributes posts to its Q&A site users who follow related topics. Thanks to its upvote system, home page feed, and a new mobile text editor, anyone with something brilliant to blog, even first-timers, can find a readership. I guess it's too bad Quora didn't pickup Posterous.
Joe_Knapp 14y ago
If there is any value in the comments I make, or the ideas I share, why should I put it on someone else's website. Why should I increase the value of that website, when I could post those to my own website, and build value there. I like Quora. I post there often. I get many ideas for blog posts on my own website. But it makes more sense to write blog posts on my own website. I only answer questions there because I'm trying to help people. Now they say they've created this blog for people who don't have one. Who is that really? How hard is it to set up a WordPress blog? There are even installation programs that will do it for you automatically. If I am a professional, and I want to establish my reputation, (in many areas better than a resume) then my own blog is the best way to go. Even if I have absolutely no idea how to do this, $250 pays for a year hosting, set up, and someone to train me on the basics. It makes a lot more sense than using Quora.

64 points by marbemac 14y ago

Quora really needs to fix this. I just launched my blog at http://ececconi.quora.com http://ececconi.quora.com and then opened up an incognito window on Chrome. Navigating to the site took me to the Quora signup homepage. I have to enter in the address again into the bar and press enter to navigate to the blog. One of the things I dislike most about Quora is how the website obscures the content in attempt to get more people to sign up for it.

bmm6o 14y ago
Were you able to get to your blog without signing up? I can't seem to manage to.
pclark 14y ago
this is a bug. https://twitter.com/artypapers/status/294217868097228801 https://twitter.com/artypapers/status/294217868097228801
mnicole 14y ago
It bothers me the sidebar doesn't follow me as I scroll, so in order to sort/organize your posts once I realize how many there are (which, because of endless scrolling, I don't), I have to go back up to the top.
codezero 14y ago
This shouldn't be happening, I double checked and I can access it from incognito now.
jusben1369 14y ago
http://ghost.quora.com/Why-we-ask-people-to-sign-in http://ghost.quora.com/Why-we-ask-people-to-sign-in
- paulgb 14y ago
  As an early user, I started contributing less when I realized this was happening. Why should I contribute to something that's not going to be accessible by non-users? Wikipedia didn't need to wall off content to grow. Nor did stackoverflow, everything2, urbandictionary, and basically every user-generated content site since expert sexchange.

ggordan 14y ago

This seems like quite an interesting development. Isn't this method of 'blogging' something similar to whatMedium is doing? I wonder if they'll start allowing anyone to post ahead of schedule.

gergles 14y ago

Oh great, will I have to log in to read blog entries beyond the first one?

codezero 14y ago
No
- znt 14y ago
  Not until they build enough traction.
slig 14y ago
No, but soon enough you'll have to download their app to see the other entries.

benatkin 14y ago

http://wordpress.org/ http://wordpress.org/

ivan_ah 14y ago

I am kind of disappointed that you cannot use LaTeX math in the entries. On quora it JUSTWORKED so I was hoping that it would work on their blogging platform but nope: $\sin\theta$ just sits there in its dollar signs... Feature request: math support.

testing8888 14y ago
Have you tried using: [math] \sin \theta [/math] (instead of $)
- ivan_ah 14y ago
  Thx. It works, though the line height seems kind of weird. http://topicmodels.quora.com/Test-post http://topicmodels.quora.com/Test-post Still kind of cool to create a blog in two clicks ;)
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]

bobsy 14y ago

Suprised to find I can access blogs without signing in. I used to enjoy Quora. I would browse, then sign in and comment when I felt I had something relevant to add. Unfortunately the forced login to view content and Quora automatically posting recently read articles onto Facebook made me stop visiting. These blogs won't draw me back. Many topics have aggregators you can submit you blog to. I would imagine building a readership on Quora will be no easier than running a self hosted blog.

doktrin 14y ago
This. Quora is probably the single most invasive site I have ever visited, short of something engineered with literally malicious intent. I will probably never significantly engage with it for this very reason. I am incredibly wary of even clicking a Quora link, and when I do it's typically from within the context of an incognito browsing session. edited : It's a shame, because the content itself can be quite good. I have simply lost confidence in the site, as I do not believe they respect my privacy one iota.
- wilfra 14y ago
  Really don't get all the Quora hate on HN. I usually agree with HN on things but on this I'm the polar opposite. I love Quora (and HN).
  - lotso 14y ago
    Quora is great, but in my mind, it was the next Wikipedia-like site that is focused on Q&A, rather than a Facebook-like site that is focused on Q&A. The fact that they have to monetize hurts their user experience because they push features such as requiring you to sign to view answers.
    - deleted 14y ago
      [deleted]
    - devmach 14y ago
      Do you remember Experts-Exchange ? It was one of the best resources but they did what Quora does now, gained hate of geeks and they lost their competitive advantage. As long as Quaora continues to hide content, in long term, there is no way but bankruptcy.

hkmurakami 14y ago

>Quora’s new blogging tools will appeal to two demographics. The first are people without any web celebrity already. Quora’s Kah Keng Tay writes that Quora blogs suit people who “(1) don’t have a big, established online presence already and (2) don’t want to do the time-intensive, heavy lifting of marketing their blog and slowly building an audience. It's a double edged sword, since (1) might accelerate your path to internet stardom by a little bit, but by taking (2), you lose the control and a large part of the benefit that comes from achieving internet stardom (if that's you thing) in the first place. If you are looking for marketing enhancers for your online blogging, you're usually at least partly considering some ends beyond increasing eyeballs (affiliate ads, consulting leads, ebook sales, etc.) [1]. Using Quora as your primary platform puts a damper on the output of these 'ends', and using it as a secondary "Crosspost" location fragments your audience and increases your labor overhead anyways. Addendum: Benefit (2) is largely moot since its upfront cost reduction for a blogger is not going to be significantly larger than Tumblr, if at all. [1] If you weren't at least considering these things, then you'd probably be happy staying on your own domain.

deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
ma2rten 14y ago
I saw quite a few consultants or e.g. lawyers already post on quora to establish themselves as experts in their field. I could imagine that this is interesting for them.

sergiotapia 14y ago

So, how do I create my blog on Quora? Or is it invite only? Edit: Create your blog here: http://www.quora.com/blog/add http://www.quora.com/blog/add Edit 2: Won't be using this. I can't write code snippets using a monospace font. What gives? http://sergiotapia.quora.com/adsf http://sergiotapia.quora.com/adsf

tachim 14y ago
You can click on "Create Blog" at the bottom of the "Write" menu at the top right of your home page.
testing8888 14y ago
You can write code blocks using the [code] tag. E.g. [code] Multiline code [/code] OR This is some inline code: [code] /usr/bin/xyz [/code]
- codezero 14y ago
  Also, it supports syntax highlighting using [code=language]

capex 14y ago

The blog layout didn't have to exactly copy the default Wordpress layout. But the ease of use is awesome in terms of selecting topics to write about, showing the count of people following that topic. Quora would be a much more frequented place with blogs being visible without signing up.

jerrya 14y ago

Quora hate aside, given the supposed reasoning behind this, The Internet is full of experts with no one reading their insights. It takes a lot of work to build a following. So today Quora launches a blogging platform that automatically distributes posts to its Q&A site users who follow related topics. Thanks to its upvote system, home page feed, and a new mobile text editor, anyone with something brilliant to blog, even first-timers, can find a readership. I guess it's too bad Quora didn't pickup Posterous.

Joe_Knapp 14y ago

If there is any value in the comments I make, or the ideas I share, why should I put it on someone else's website. Why should I increase the value of that website, when I could post those to my own website, and build value there. I like Quora. I post there often. I get many ideas for blog posts on my own website. But it makes more sense to write blog posts on my own website. I only answer questions there because I'm trying to help people. Now they say they've created this blog for people who don't have one. Who is that really? How hard is it to set up a WordPress blog? There are even installation programs that will do it for you automatically. If I am a professional, and I want to establish my reputation, (in many areas better than a resume) then my own blog is the best way to go. Even if I have absolutely no idea how to do this, $250 pays for a year hosting, set up, and someone to train me on the basics. It makes a lot more sense than using Quora.