Google’s “Knol” Project Prompts Tens of Thousands to Visit Dutch Steam Cleaning Website
Google has an exciting new project which they call a “Knowledge Portal,” hence the codename Knol. It has been rumored that Google is upset about Wikipedia dominating it’s search results and is releasing this open-author information sharing website to compete for some top results. Knol is currently in private beta testing, you can read more information on it here. It is also naturally getting alot of buzz from the blogosphere.
What?! Knol.com Owned by Steam Cleaning Company
Tens of thousands of visitors, including myself, typed “Knol.com” into their browsers after hearing the news, only to be baffled by a Dutch website featuring high quality vacuums and steam cleaners. The company who owns the domain has posted a thank you message to Google, for the traffic and publicity I assume. They later posted this surprising message which is, oddly enough, badly translated by Google:
“Well, from that Friday there is a real run immediately on domains that the word “Knol” in itself, as also the domain knol.com….. This has resulted in tens of thousands of visitors who came to take a look at our Knol.com! ….. In a short time, we had received visitors from more than 130 countries around the world.
Fortunately, the website in a position to be able bastions and the site remained in the air.
But that was not in, we were by Jan and alleman asked if we do not want to sell the domain….. Unfortunately, we have to disappoint everyone, how beautiful their offer sometimes.
…. In short, it was a special experience.”
There you have it, they will not be selling the domain name to Google, nor any other individual. Someone should call and suggest a way to monetize their new temporary flood of international traffic.
The Squatters Came Out in Full Force
A quick search on Sedo shows 358 pages of domains containing the term “Knol.” Many have bids and are receiving a minor amount of traffic. Apparently these people do not realize that “Knol” is only a codename! Google is going to brand it’s new knowledge portal with a completely different name and acquire it’s respective domain name.
Think before you squat.
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December 26th, 2007 at 8:27 am
That’s a good one although it does not cross my mine to type knol.com :D I blogged on this topic awhile ago and my resource came from google’s blog.
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December 26th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
I think Google already own the domain names secretly that they’re going to use so it’s already too late for all squatters to register the domain name Google needs.
/Andreas
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December 26th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Of course Google already owns the domain. It will be knol.google.com or it’s equivalent when they come up with a new name. Name me one time where Google has put one of their betas under any domain but their own and I will reconsider. But until then, I think that it doesn’t matter in the slightest whether or not knol.com is already taken.
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December 26th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
[...] A Dutch steam-cleaning company’s website got an unexpected boost in hits to their website after Google announced their Knowledge Portal, competing with Wikipedia. The project’s nickname, “Knol”, has led to a huge increase in hits to knol.com, which just happens to be owned by a Dutch vacuum / steam-cleaning company. (via dotsauce) [...]
December 27th, 2007 at 12:44 am
Who needs all those pesky ‘content’ sites when you can just visit knol and see all those great google ads too?
Knoogle would have been a great name (already taken).
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December 27th, 2007 at 6:04 pm
wow, sedo is like 8 pages deep of knol-ish domains - ohh there i just thought of one knolish.com! lemme go grab it!
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December 28th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Now thats comical. Mind you I wouldn’t complain if I had 10,000+ visitors who were looking for somewhere else ;)
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December 29th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Looking forward to the launch of this. I know it’ll beat wikipedia easily. :)
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January 2nd, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Glad to hear they won’t be using the name Knol. They must have read my blog where I said a few weeks ago that it was a stupid name. Any guesses what the actual name is going to be ?
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January 9th, 2008 at 2:09 am
Should not Google have thought about it? I mean if I were to even decide a codename for SUCH A HUGE PROJECT, I would try and make sure the code name domain was purchased before that. Lets face it the code name will only be popular for years to come. Alas the steam guys are really in for a splash on this one. :-)
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January 9th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Well, if it doesnt sell it doesn sell. I bought few knol…. sites, and see nothing wrong with that. Its like wiki extension. So calling it squatting and not investment is silly, considering no one own the name. and If lose few bucks on that, its no big deal, that why we here to invest. Those who dont play, lose, this is an experience.
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January 29th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Moe >
Dude… that’s what squatting is. No one does that for fun, it’s always to hold the more appropriately named owner at ransom.
It’s your right, but its also frowned upon by many. Lucky ICANN is dropping the Add Grace Period. Bye Bye Squatters!
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February 12th, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Of course Google already owns a domain name for it’s Knol project and it will of course perhaps sway it’s search results to display it’s link to knol instead of knol.com. You can so tell that’s what will happen.
- Dwayne Charrington.
http://www.dwaynecharrington.com
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February 27th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Craaazy
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February 28th, 2008 at 8:32 am
it’s nice to hear that there will be other than wiki to search for information. I hope it will be a great one! Really hope google will proceed its knol project.
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July 23rd, 2008 at 9:19 pm
[...] This site received millions of visitors when Google announced Knol 6 months ago and my guess is they will get more visitors in the coming days. Read the story. [...]