Cha cha - new search engine

[SplshMtn99]

I consider myself pretty computer savvy. I'm always the one explaining to people how to use a computer application. I even have a BS in computer science. I'll tell ya right now, that their application is not intuitive AT all. It's hard to navigate quickly with all those search result windows open. I seldom am completely lost when seeing an application for the first time....but I honestly was lost in my first search & needed ALOT of help. So....if you don't get it, you aren't alone.

I started googling around to see what feelings others might have for it, & I found others not loving it. Some said that they were banned for searching certain words (not really bad words either ex: naked)...and it said they would be reported to their IP provider. Imagine, banned from the internet for searching naked. There were even less "offensive words" that got people banned from searching again...but they were so lame, I don't even remember them.

Not sure how long I'm sticking with this.

 

[JuneChickie]

I consider myself pretty computer savvy. I'm always the one explaining to people how to use a computer application. I even have a BS in computer science. I'll tell ya right now, that their application is not intuitive AT all. It's hard to navigate quickly with all those search result windows open. I seldom am completely lost when seeing an application for the first time....but I honestly was lost in my first search & needed ALOT of help. So....if you don't get it, you aren't alone.

I started googling around to see what feelings others might have for it, & I found others not loving it. Some said that they were banned for searching certain words (not really bad words either ex: naked)...and it said they would be reported to their IP provider. Imagine, banned from the internet for searching naked. There were even less "offensive words" that got people banned from searching again...but they were so lame, I don't even remember them.

Not sure how long I'm sticking with this.

Sure am glad I'm not the only one trying to figure it out.
But I love a good challange ,, un huh

 

[Ava31]

Sure am glad I'm not the only one trying to figure it out.
But I love a good challange ,, un huh

You're definitely not alone! I just completed 1 search and then "hung up" on the person. I found what they were looking for though, so I count that as an accomplishment!

 

[mookie]

Ok, am I just totally skipping past something? I can't find the "training videos" anywhere. I'm able to log in but I have no idea what to do once I'm here.

Yeahhh!!! I finally was accepted to be a guide!! But, Ava31, I'm having the same problem as you. I have a page, but no idea what to do from there. How do I get to the training part? Matt?

 

[mookie]

I consider myself pretty computer savvy. I'm always the one explaining to people how to use a computer application. I even have a BS in computer science. I'll tell ya right now, that their application is not intuitive AT all. It's hard to navigate quickly with all those search result windows open. I seldom am completely lost when seeing an application for the first time....but I honestly was lost in my first search & needed ALOT of help. So....if you don't get it, you aren't alone.

I started googling around to see what feelings others might have for it, & I found others not loving it. Some said that they were banned for searching certain words (not really bad words either ex: naked)...and it said they would be reported to their IP provider. Imagine, banned from the internet for searching naked. There were even less "offensive words" that got people banned from searching again...but they were so lame, I don't even remember them.

Not sure how long I'm sticking with this.

I think I read the same site - it also said someone got banned for asking to search Star Trek??????

 

[EpcotMatt]

Yeahhh!!! I finally was accepted to be a guide!! But, Ava31, I'm having the same problem as you. I have a page, but no idea what to do from there. How do I get to the training part? Matt?

As far as videos, if you go to My Account, there are about 7 tabs there. The last one is Videos. I think that may be what you're talking about.

 

[EpcotMatt]

I think I read the same site - it also said someone got banned for asking to search Star Trek??????

Which article/site had these reports? I’m very surprised & would like to read this. Doesn’t really make sense. But I’d like to read the story to get a better understanding.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Can you set your own hours and just work whenever you feel like it? Or do you have to commit to certain hours or something? What's the pay structure?

Anyone?

Also, I went to the site and clicked on the "how to become a guide" link which basically gives you a feedback form where you pick guide sign up from a drop down menu. I filled that our and asked how to become a guide and got a returned mail message in my email that it couldn't be delivered. How weird! So, maybe they don't want guides right now, who knows.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I think I read the same site - it also said someone got banned for asking to search Star Trek??????

LOL.....YES, that was one of them. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[SplshMtn99]

Which article/site had these reports? I’m very surprised & would like to read this. Doesn’t really make sense. But I’d like to read the story to get a better understanding.

http://forums.invisionpower.com/lofiversion/index.php/t227246.html

 

[mookie]

Which article/site had these reports? I’m very surprised & would like to read this. Doesn’t really make sense. But I’d like to read the story to get a better understanding.

http://forums.invisionpower.com/index.php?showtopic=227246

Hope this is okay to post here...

 

[mookie]

LOL.....YES, that was one of them. Thanks for reminding me.

You know - I guess I could see how they would ban Star Trek...sometimes those "trekkies" can become a bit obsessive about their love of it. Hmmmm....maybe just like us Disney folks? I could see me becoming banned in an instant!!!

 

[mookie]

As far as videos, if you go to My Account, there are about 7 tabs there. The last one is Videos. I think that may be what you're talking about.

Thanks, Matt!! Found it. Duh - I guess I could have just played around with the site, huh?

 

[milwaukee1]

Does everyone feel okay with thier privacy policy?

 

[mookie]

Does everyone feel okay with thier privacy policy?

I admit I'm horrible at reading those things, but I signed up anyway. I didn't think there was too much to lose. Was there anything in particular that you found questionable?

 

[EpcotMatt]

Regarding the internet banning link, that’s what I thought. It’s not the guides getting “warned”, it’s the users. And that message was most likely generated by the guides themselves. As a guide, when you receive an offensive search request or offensive language from a user, there is an option to report it. Obviously chacha can’t ban the users from the internet. My guess is that’s chacha’s way of filtering out all the adolescent junk searches. Really, doesn’t seem like a big deal to me & I’m glad chacha has that built in. I’ve gone through several “phony” search requests from juveniles requesting shady stuff. It’s annoying, but not a deterrent.

Again, as a guide, this issue is moot. These threats of bans are directed at juvenile users. As far as the Star Trek issue, that one does baffle me. I’ll chalk that one up to the Alpha stage of development of the software. Again, this program is basically brand new. They will be working out kinks for awhile. It’s not rare for computer programs to have kinks, ie Disney offering Boardwalk Concierge for basically peanuts. The guy who invented this invented voicemail. I’m sure he had issues with that at first too. But can you imagine if we all still had to use answering machines today?

Let’s not mistake this. Chacha isn’t cutting edge technology or the beginning of a technological revolution. And I don’t plan on being on the cover of Fortune magazine anytime soon from my chacha earnings. It is what it is. An original, new concept of searching using real people to eliminate the word restrictions other engines have and that can also make some people some extra cash. Understandably it’s not for everyone. But to me, it seems like a great idea, I have no problems putting up with some technical issues at the beginning, and I look forward to seeing where it’ll go. And I have nothing to lose. It cost me nothing to join, I can chacha casually whenever I want, and make a few bucks in the process.

{As I read this now, man what a long post! Oh well, it balances out the many other short posts I’ve left.}

 

[mookie]

Regarding the internet banning link, that’s what I thought. It’s not the guides getting “warned”, it’s the users. And that message was most likely generated by the guides themselves. As a guide, when you receive an offensive search request or offensive language from a user, there is an option to report it. Obviously chacha can’t ban the users from the internet. My guess is that’s chacha’s way of filtering out all the adolescent junk searches. Really, doesn’t seem like a big deal to me & I’m glad chacha has that built in. I’ve gone through several “phony” search requests from juveniles requesting shady stuff. It’s annoying, but not a deterrent.

Again, as a guide, this issue is moot. These threats of bans are directed at juvenile users. As far as the Star Trek issue, that one does baffle me. I’ll chalk that one up to the Alpha stage of development of the software. Again, this program is basically brand new. They will be working out kinks for awhile. It’s not rare for computer programs to have kinks, ie Disney offering Boardwalk Concierge for basically peanuts. The guy who invented this invented voicemail. I’m sure he had issues with that at first too. But can you imagine if we all still had to use answering machines today?

Let’s not mistake this. Chacha isn’t cutting edge technology or the beginning of a technological revolution. And I don’t plan on being on the cover of Fortune magazine anytime soon from my chacha earnings. It is what it is. An original, new concept of searching using real people to eliminate the word restrictions other engines have and that can also make some people some extra cash. Understandably it’s not for everyone. But to me, it seems like a great idea, I have no problems putting up with some technical issues at the beginning, and I look forward to seeing where it’ll go. And I have nothing to lose. It cost me nothing to join, I can chacha casually whenever I want, and make a few bucks in the process.

{As I read this now, man what a long post! Oh well, it balances out the many other short posts I’ve left.}

Well said Matt, thanks. I didn't know about the option for guides to filter out the "useless" inquiries. Seems like a pretty cool thing, set up so I'm not constantly wasting my time. I do agree that this is such a new work in progress. There are bound to be kinks. We aren't making millions here, it's just a fun way to satisfy our time that we already spend surfing the web. (And gives me a great excuse to tell my DH "I'm working!") The extra cash is just a nice perk for me....and if it pays for a few nice dinners at LeCellier or a few more souvineers when I go to WDW...it's totally worth it!

 

[EpcotMatt]

Looks like it should be a busy weekend. Chacha apparently hired a bunch of new guides. That means a lot of training tasks for this weekend for us current guides. Hopefully I’ll be lucky enough to get some of the new guides from here on the DIS. I plan on being on chacha a good bit this weekend. Since guides in training only see “user” and not the trainer’s name, hopefully I’ll recognize some of your id’s if I get them.

For the new guides out there, one thing to remember. On the weekends, especially Friday night from my experience, you might find yourself getting a bigger number of “prank” searches from the juveniles we discussed earlier. If your search window pops up & it’s obviously an offensive search, simply decline. You don’t have to accept. Also, if you’re thinking that you’ll just accept the search just to get credit & add to your earnings, remember that if a user, no matter what their intentions are, doesn’t approve or appreciate your responses, they can respond by giving you a low review which will only hinder your progress as a guide. My advice is to steer clear of the obvious delinquents.

Good luck this weekend!

 

[raammartin]

FYI - I'm loving ChaCha! WoooHooo! It's fun. But, do you sometimes get search request that have nothing to do with your keywords?

 

[Schachteles]

FYI - I'm loving ChaCha! WoooHooo! It's fun. But, do you sometimes get search request that have nothing to do with your keywords?

Ok, I JUST had that happen too...someone wants to know about the flap position when a plane takes off...and so I looked on some websites to find information for this person and they said the answer is...and gave me 0 stars...NICE!