Google Blogoscoped

Tuesday, May 6, 2003

As of today, Google Answers left Beta stage. Another change is the introduction of “sponsored link” ads on the top of each question. The ads are sometimes, but not always, related to the content (keyword hiliting).

Google Answers Researchers Interviewed: Easterangel

This is part 1 in my interview series with Google Answers Researchers – Easterangel.

Note: This interview is approved by Google Answers, but does not in any way represent Google’s views.

Easterangel-ga

What’s your first name?
Henry

Where are you from?
Philippines

What’s your profession?
Researcher

What’s your age?
33

Easterangel-ga on Google Answers

When did you become a Researcher?
May 13, 2002

How did you find out about Google Answers?
I found Google Answers by accident when I was searching about new web technologies for a friend.

What do you like best about answering for Google Answers?
I like the thrill of the hunt. It gives me so much satisfaction of finding the exact information the customer requires. Getting good ratings is an incentive as well but it’s only secondary to the actual work itself. Of course the monetary incentive is very good as well.

Would you consider taking this up as full-time job, provided the question volume would be high enough (or is it already full-time for you)?
Actually this is already my full time job. I am a physical handicap so this job is really perfect for me. Furthermore the pay is very good since it comes in dollars.

What kind of question subject do you usually avoid?
Not really a question subject but I usually avoid questions that require you not to research but conjure up ideas for [customers] since I don’t think of myself as a creative person.

What kind of question subject you usually like to answer?
I like answering business related questions since this is really my background when I came to Google Answers.

In one sentence, what’s the trick to a good answer?
The trick to a good answer is to visualize the elements of your answer, then organize them in your mind.

What would be the new Google Answers slogan, if you were responsible to create one?
Slogan - “Now You Know!”

Which Researcher would you take as guide on a dangerous island?
Whenever I think of an admirable Google Answers researcher, I always look up to Pinkfreud. She is trustworthy and very skilled. On a dangerous island, you will surely be safe with her. Plus you will get good doses of hearty laughs along the way.

Easterangel-ga’s Favorites

What are your favorite research tools and websites?
I mainly use Microsoft Word in formatting my answer. I love using www.howstuffworks.com in some answers and also www.bizstats.com for those business questions.

What are your favorite websites and newsgroups?
My favorite website is www.howstuffworks.com.

I will just suppose Google is your favorite search engine (right?). Do you remember which one you were using before, and why you decided to switch to Google?
Yes I was stuck at Yahoo (a directory actually not a search engine). I just heard that the geeks love Google so it must be good, so I tried it and got hooked.

What are some of your favorite questions & answers by others?
The following are my favorites:

What are some of the questions that were really a lot of fun answering for you?
I think these three questions were a lot of fun. There are others but it’s hard to list them all here.

What would be a fun $200 question for you to answer?
A fun question for $200 would be “Please post anything you find funny on the web”. I will sleep the whole day after answering that question.

Easterangel-ga’s Spare-time

Got any weird hobbies?
I used to collect NBA basketball cards. Now I just watch the games. It’s the only program I can bear watching for 2 hrs or more.

What was the last book you read, the last movie you saw, and the last album you listened to?
The last book I read was As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer.
The last movie I saw was Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The last album I listened to was a compilation of new wave songs and another album, which was a compilation of praise music.

Do you know some other Researchers in Real Life?
The closest I could get with being truly familiar with researchers are with Feilong-ga and Techtor-ga since they are both Filipinos. But I haven’t really seen them yet just online friends.

Final words by Easterangel

If you’d write a book about your life, what would be the first sentence?
Finally, Henry has found something to fill his days.

Anything else you’d want to add?
Not much. Just want to thank [Google Answers] for giving me the opportunity and the researcher community at [the forum] for giving me a helping hand.

Google, an engine of change

Google, an engine of change (by Mary Anne Ostrom and Matt Marshall, Mercury News); a powerful tool that has altered work, social habits, and increased privacy concerns.

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