Hi, Nona75,
That's an interesting question, and I'll give you my answer. Not all
Google researchers will agree with it, and I'm sure some of them will
chime in by making comments.
Some researchers don't answer $2 questions, primarily because they
figure that their time is worth more than that. Others answer $2
questions only
if it's a question they would derive immense pleasure from doing.
As for me, I'll do a $2 question only if I know the answer or can find
it within a minute or two. Of the low-cost questions I've answered,
most I've been able to answer with one or two links and a paragraph or
two.
As you've noted, there are some $2 questions with some outstanding
answers. It's pretty safe to say that those answers have come simply
because the researchers have enjoyed doing them. Obviously, $1.50 (75
percent of what the customer pays) isn't going to justify much
research!
As to what I think about the amount: Unlike some researchers, I have
no objection to the existence of $2 questions. I figure if people
don't want to answer them, they don't have to. On the other hand,
people who are willing to pay only $2 shouldn't expect much in terms
of an answer. What I see the $2 question for is for the person who
needs a tiny bit of information but doesn't know where to find it.
Suppose, for example, you didn't know where to find out who discovered
Pluto and when. That would be a suitable $2 question. Anything
requiring analysis or considerable research would be inappropriate.
Here are some of the $2 questions I've answered, to give you an idea
of what I think is appropriate for that price level or slightly more.
How do you pronounce ... ?
https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=31399
Where can you buy a guayabera?
https://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=39623
The first one I was able to answer based on my own knowledge; then I
backed it up with links from a single search. The second one (which
perhaps might be more appropriate for $3 or $4) required one simple
search and very little reading of the search results. (If the
questioner had wanted to know where a certain brand of guayabera could
be bought and shipped to Mongolia, $2 would have definitely been
insufficient.) I doubt if I spent more than a few minutes on either
of them, so on a per-hour basis they were as good for me as a $20
question that I'd spend an hour on, perhaps even better. That's not
terrific money for my abilities, but then again I'm only trying to
pick up some extra spending money.
One of the ironies that some researchers have noted is that the
customers who pay the least amounts are sometimes those who are the
pickiest about the answers they receive. I hope somebody comments on
that issue. I'm also amazed at the number of people that expect to
get competent legal or medical advice for a tenth of the cost of an
appointment with a doctor or lawyer.
I should also point out that it's difficult to give an answer for you
that applies to all researchers. Most of us are from the United
States and Europe, where, yes, it would be hard to make much money
answering $2 questions. But there are some researchers who live in
the Third World, where, say, $20 a day could support a family. But
Internet access can also be expensive and undependable in those
places, so the number of people who could do research from those
places is limited. Also, a surprising number of the questions require
some knowledge of U.S. culture (culture in the broadest sense) to
understand; I have found myself stumped trying to make sense of some
simple questions from even Britons (I'm from the U.S.), simply because
I don't understand some things that they would take for granted. So I
don't think there's any danger of all Google research coming from
areas where wages are low. This is all my speculation, of course, and
nothing official from Google.
It also should be noted that researchers do what they're doing here
for a variety of reasons. Probably the biggest category is people
like me -- those who enjoy doing it when they have time and would like
to make a reasonable amount of money doing more or less what they do
on the Internet anyway. Others would like to make a living doing it
(it would be difficult to do without a lot more questions being
posted), while others see it as merely a hobby that might make them
some money but it doesn't matter if it does or not.
Oh, and did I say that some people spend more time than a question
pays simply because they enjoy doing it? That's what I've done in
this case, for example. I find the concept of Google Answers
fascinating, and I've enjoyed being a part of it, so I was willing to
spend far more time than your payment alone would justify. That's no
insult to you -- consider yourself complimented because you were able
to ask a question that I received pleasure from doing!
Best wishes, and I hope you enjoyed my answer and will enjoy any
following comments.
mvguy
PS: "Beta" simply means that something is in an advanced testing
stage.
Glossary
http://www.sharpened.net/glossary/definition.php?betasoftware |
