Programmers may already know about the blogs of Jeff Atwood (Coding Horror) and Joel Spolsky (Joel on Software), or their increasingly-popular collaborative Q&A site Stack Overflow. Additional sites have been introduced recently for other audiences: Server Fault for system administrators and IT professionals, Doctype for web designers, and the just-out-of-beta Super User for "computer enthusiasts" (previously and inspired by). [more inside]
posted by Mr. Palomar on Aug 20, 2009 - 40 comments

Google has released an experimental search tool, Google Squared, that presents search results in the form of a table. Each column represents some attribute or dimension of the things returned - for example, searching for US presidents yields a column for date of birth, and rows for Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, etc. [more inside]
posted by Zarkonnen on Jun 5, 2009 - 70 comments

Wolfram Alpha is about to go live. Wolfram Alpha is an answer engine which may just change the way we think about search results.
posted by rollbiz on May 15, 2009 - 133 comments

Stack Overflow is now out of beta. Designed as a question and answer forum for programmers, it's been made to fill the gap currently filled by sites like the much hated and oft mispronounced Expertsexchange. If you're sick of having to scroll to the bottom, and you write code, then this could be for you. The site has been made by a team headed by Jeff Atwood and Joel Spolsky. These are two uber-bloggers who've made a name for themselves talking about how to code. Of course, for haters of Stack Overflow, there are already a couple of sites to pamper to your anger. Finally, if you're wondering what a stack overflow is, then wikipedia has the answer.
posted by seanyboy on Sep 15, 2008 - 51 comments

After shutting its virtual doors, Google Answers is set to return, this time modeled on Yahoo Answers' no moderators, no limits, no rules concept. If paid researchers is what you need to answer your question, go to Uclue. Or just keep it green.
posted by HotPatatta on Dec 13, 2007 - 26 comments

50 Answers. Like AskMe, but not helpful, and in comic form.
posted by Rock Steady on Dec 8, 2007 - 33 comments

Peter answers.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Jun 2, 2007 - 54 comments

Google Answers Goes 404. Is it too much competition from Yahoo! answers or Metafilter?
posted by JJ86 on Dec 1, 2006 - 22 comments

Yes, another one. Best Rest of the Web. There are lots of questions sites now. Amazon opened Askville. And now Windows Live has "QnA". I'm all for competition and innovation, but really, why does the question-and-answer site format attract so much "me too" behaviour?
posted by GuyZero on Nov 7, 2006 - 26 comments

Pet Peeves in Customer Service Why cellphones are so proprietary, why PA systems sound terrible, why rental companies gouge on gas, and answers to other vexing questions.
posted by aerotive on Oct 31, 2006 - 30 comments

Ask MetaFilter + group hug = justcurio.us
posted by GuyZero on Sep 26, 2006 - 70 comments

That sounds true... Blufr (from Answers.com) tests you knowledge by mixing real factoids with made-up trivia. And it ends with an "r" so it must be Web 2.0!
posted by GuyZero on Sep 15, 2006 - 22 comments

So we all have our favourite question site. And we all know the big-brand takes on the space. But now there's the Web 2.0 Q&A sites: Wondir (Wondr?), Oyogi (in beta, of course) and the latest, Yedda. [via TechCrunch]
posted by GuyZero on Aug 14, 2006 - 30 comments

There is a new question asking website. It is powered by humans via the Mechanical Turk program. Said the Gramophone has a bit of fun with it.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Feb 18, 2006 - 16 comments

Pourquoi? "Les petites enigmes de tous les jours" - Interesting site akin to AskMe, "en Français."
posted by AllesKlar on Dec 12, 2005 - 21 comments

AskPhilosophers what they think about philosophical problems! A philosophical version of Ask MetaFilter. Not much is up yet, but the lineup of panelists is brimming with top-notch academics. Hopefully the site will take off.
posted by painquale on Oct 4, 2005 - 11 comments

Ask a philosopher.
posted by tellurian on Sep 6, 2005 - 32 comments

justcurio.us AskMeFi for the curious masses. Not nearly as helpful, but can be amusing.
posted by o2b on Jul 19, 2005 - 19 comments

Research at Purdue University yields answers to one of the world's largest unsolved mysteries.
posted by Ron on Apr 21, 2005 - 12 comments

Science Times: 25th Anniversary The first issue of Science Times[weekly section of N.Y. Times] appeared 25 years ago, on Nov. 14, 1978. Its guiding principle ever since has been that science is not a collection of answers, but a way of asking questions, an enterprise driven by curiosity. To celebrate the anniversary, we pose 25 of the most provocative questions facing science. As always, answers are provisional. [free reg req'd]
posted by Postroad on Nov 11, 2003 - 2 comments

Ask A Librarian. The Library of Congress's answer to Google Answers.
posted by skwm on Oct 20, 2002 - 9 comments

15 years ago today, Dan Rather was attacked by a man yelling, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?". I found a questionable but humorous explanation for the incident at www.thepetdetective.com. A few other questionable but humorous theories abound there, including What REALLY sank the Titanic? and Why are they called "Grape-Nuts" if they have neither grapes nor nuts?. My favorite link, though, is 99 Wacky Ways to Order a Pizza. I snarfed up some soda pop while reading this.
posted by msacheson on Oct 4, 2001 - 5 comments