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There are 20 million programmers in the world, that is the maximum S.O. can get. There are billions of people looking for just the type of answers you find on Q

There are 20 million programmers in the world, that is the maximum S.O. can get. There are billions of people looking for just the type of answers you find on Quora. Also you go to S.O. to find a specific answer than move on, on Q you stick around and read other stuff, go back for discovery. I am not saying which one is more valuable, perhaps S.O. is more monetizable.

benwilber0 12y ago
I've followed many links to Quora but bounced every single time because of the stupid signup wall. Subsequently, I've banned them from my Google search results, same as Experts Exchange. SO and Reddit are sharing the Q&A lunch.
ceejayoz 12y ago
StackExchange has much more than just programming sites, and I've done all sorts of discovery via the "questions from other StackExchange sites" ad units and sidebars.
mhartl 12y ago
that is the maximum S.O. can get This is why they formed a parent company with a broader focus (Stack Exchange). Joel Spolsky wrote more about their thinking here: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2010/02/14.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2010/02/14.html
GrinningFool 12y ago
" There are billions of people looking for just the type of answers you find on Quora" And how many of them are going there? Every indication is "not many". "Also you go to S.O. to find a specific answer than move on, on Q you stick around and read other stuff, go back for discovery." By "you" you mean? I've visited quora maybe a dozen times, usually by following a link from an aggregator like HN. I didn't feel compelled to poke around once I got there, and the comments and replies (though they came from the people with higher reputation) generally ran the same gamut as everywhere else.
beagle3 12y ago
That's a strawman. Don't compare Quora to Stack Overflow (which is, indeed, limited to programmers). Look at the entire Stack Exchange network.
- gbog 12y ago
  Or Wikipedia?

benwilber0 12y ago

I've followed many links to Quora but bounced every single time because of the stupid signup wall. Subsequently, I've banned them from my Google search results, same as Experts Exchange. SO and Reddit are sharing the Q&A lunch.

ceejayoz 12y ago

StackExchange has much more than just programming sites, and I've done all sorts of discovery via the "questions from other StackExchange sites" ad units and sidebars.

mhartl 12y ago

that is the maximum S.O. can get This is why they formed a parent company with a broader focus (Stack Exchange). Joel Spolsky wrote more about their thinking here: http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2010/02/14.html http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2010/02/14.html

GrinningFool 12y ago

" There are billions of people looking for just the type of answers you find on Quora" And how many of them are going there? Every indication is "not many". "Also you go to S.O. to find a specific answer than move on, on Q you stick around and read other stuff, go back for discovery." By "you" you mean? I've visited quora maybe a dozen times, usually by following a link from an aggregator like HN. I didn't feel compelled to poke around once I got there, and the comments and replies (though they came from the people with higher reputation) generally ran the same gamut as everywhere else.

beagle3 12y ago

That's a strawman. Don't compare Quora to Stack Overflow (which is, indeed, limited to programmers). Look at the entire Stack Exchange network.

gbog 12y ago
Or Wikipedia?