Did You Know…Question and answer websites have popped up all over the Internet. These interactive sites are designed to connect individuals and help them get answers to questions.  Sharon Housley compiled a list of some of the more popular Question & Answers websites:

1. Yahoo! Answers — Yahoo! Answers is probably the largest and most respected Question & Answer site on the web. You can ask questions on any topic, or you can answer questions on any topic. There are no fees to participate. The person asking the question can indicate his choice for the best answer, and the community can rate responses as well. Points and levels are given for answering questions and receiving top ratings. Questions are categorized, making it easy to find questions and answers in your area of expertise. The Q&A database is also searchable, and you can filter the search results so that only open or resolved questions are displayed.
2. Mahalo Answers — Mahalo Answers is a Question & Answer website with a twist — Mahalo uses Mahalo dollars. Those asking questions can define how much they will give for a good answer. Top answerers receive Mahalo dollars.
3. BlurtIt — BlurtIt is a standard Question & Answer website. You can ask questions, find answers, and share your knowledge with users anywhere.
4. SimplyExplained — Are you an expert in a given field? Simply Explained gives you the ability to share the knowledge and expertise you might have in any subject, from Asbestos through to Zinfandel, by answering questions relevant to your field posed by other Simply Explained users from around the globe. You can choose which questions to answer, and you will be ranked by other users according to how helpful, accurate, and simple-to-understand your answers are.
5. AskMeHelpDesk — AskMeHelpDesk is a free-to-join site and contains a wide variety of questions and answers.
6. Fixya — Fixya is a community resource capable of providing relevant and up-to-date troubleshooting data. FixYa is designed for the do-it-yourself market, for individuals who want to repair and improve upon their already-purchased possessions. Individuals on Fixya can share real-world experience and connect with others to provide practical advice on a wide range of topics from fixing cars to cameras, to iPhones, to printers, etc. FixYa participants (FixYans) are part of a DIY revolution that helps empower techies, tinkerers, and hobbyists around the world.
7. FunAdvice — FunAdvice started with five categories and a simple goal: – to be the place where people could get or give advice on personal relationships. Years later, the focus has expanded to include more than twenty categories, and FunAdvice has become a place where you can ask questions, get answers, and make friends.
8. Fluther — Fluther is a free Q&A collective that specializes in getting fast answers from community members. Members can ask and answer questions.
9. Uclue — Uclue is a fee-based Question & Answer service. The team of Uclue researchers will look over questions, and one of them will likely ‘lock’ it and get to work on an answer. If a researcher needs more information, or if the fee isn’t quite adequate for the amount of work involved, the researcher will post a Clarification Request, and the poster will be notified by email that their input is being sought.

Note: Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for RecordForAll audio recording and editing software.

Connie Pilato

Connie Pilato is the Academic Technology Support Specialist for Jamestown Community College, and has more than 20 years providing technology support in various roles at the college. While her primary assignment is to support the faculty of the Cattaraugus County Campus, she is available to assist both full-time and adjunct faculty regardless of their campus location.

Among her significant previous positions, Connie served as Network Design Engineer/Central Office Equipment, and Network Design Engineer/Special Circuits at ALLTEL, a telecommunications company.

Connie holds a M.S. in Curriculum Design and Instructional Technology from University of Albany – SUNY, and a B.S. in Business (Magna Cum Laude) from SUNY Fredonia.