First there was Wikipedia, which encourages anyone and everyone across the globe to contribute their knowledge on a specific place, person, topic, animal, vegetable, mineral, etc, to create one comprehensive resource of truly encyclopedic proportions.

The main downside to this has been the issue of inaccuracy, tied closely to the fact that the reader is well-distanced from the anonymous writers. How can you fully trust what is written if you don’t know who has written it; what their credentials are, what their agenda might be?

Granted, it’s always difficult online to be sure that everyone is who they purport to be (perhaps not just online, thinking about it…); however, regular contact with a reader or writer can at least allow you to judge and make up your own mind.

Perhaps that’s why those unstoppable innovators at Google have come up with GoogleKnols - a website that again encourages anyone and everyone to share their knowledge on anything they like, but this time ensures that everyone knows who is contributing what.

This is not a place for the informal language and opinion-based posts of a blog; a “knol” is a “unit of knowledge”, so the intention should be to create an article that delivers factual information - such as how to create a podcast, or make buttermilk pancakes.

Of course, it can also be a good way of marketing yourself and potentially your business, establishing you as a trusted expert on a particular topic to a potentially global audience - and with the option to link to your own website from your profile page.

Next big thing, or a flash in the pan? Have a look and see what you think.

And if you find any articles explaining how you can get fit without exercise, make the best-tasting chocolate in the world, or win the lottery, do let me know…