Totally Agree but it is a bit of a laugh and wastes some time.

Yes, maybe it is in some cases, but that is what enables us to broaden our knowledge; searching on google and then writing about the subject means that you'll remember and then be abl;e to answer the same question again, without google. Also, a lot of people happen to know answers to questions asked. In asking a question, you either can't find the answer on google or want a more comprehensive one than a search would give. On rating a question, if someone has copied and pasted out of google you can always not give them any credits!

I enjoy browsing through the questions just reading answers and informing myself... plus it's fun answering some questions I know about...

Where's the harm in having information available in more than one place? Sure, a lot of questions asked here could be answered by looking at wikipedia, or wherever, but now they're here too.

Also, there's no official editorial standpoint here. You can have several different viewpoints answering the same question, which can be interesting.

I agree wholeheartedly with the questioner and have even asked a similar question myself some time ago ("what's the point of lycos iQ?"). However, some of the questions and answers are more interesting than others and, after a while, the site becomes oddly addictive and fascinating!

Instead of being a search engine, or simply people taking results from search engines, the concept of iQ is to build a resource around a topic.

The questions answers and bookmarks give multiple levels upon which to find out more about a topic.

I think long term the site will likely become a midway point or "hybrid" between a straight search engine search, and an encyclopedic search such as wikipedia.

I think basically the whole "web 2.0" idea is that people organise the web, as opposed to algorithms & like others said its strangely addictive.

Judging by the number of replies that you have had to your question it should be clear to you that none of them have done so with the help of Google, Wikipedia, or any other search engine that you care to mention. That being the case you have proved the effectiveness of Lycos iQ.

The people who answer the questions in this site do so in accordance with the questions asked. They have no control over the questions, only the answers. If the answers call for an answer to say, "name the parts of the liver", then that is a question that is outside the scope of probably 90% of the members but that should not preclude them from answering the question.

Education is the ability to acquire knowledge or to know where to go to find it. By using search engines to find answers to these types of questions does help insomuch as the respondent adds to his/her knowledge.

Questions that require this type of response only, normally, receive one answer so those types of questions are, in my humble opinion, not the best one to ask. The type of question that you have asked clearly demonstrates that one that asks for an opinion or a response to a question that requires experience, such as plumbing, car maintenance, etc, is of much more use if you are solely judging the usefulness of the site on answers that do not require cutting and pasting.

There are probably some members who probably don't want to answer academic questions or take part in a debate but merely enjoy the fun of answering questions on the unusual, the obscure or trivia.

Neither you nor I have the right to dictate to members that use the site do or don't do, that is for a higher authority. There are questions asked that I don’t feel appropriate but, like you, if I don't want to answer them, I don't have to.

Perhaps now you have a better understanding of the site we can look forward to some questions that can get us all thinking and using or combined experiences to help you with a problem, a situation, a phobia, a political point, something from sport or the arts, whatever the choice is yours and I look forward to your input.

On the point you made about questions that remained unanswered, it is also a member’s prerogative not to answer a question if they don't feel that it is worthwhile.

there are a number of people who have misunderstood this place. I for one reckon thats its about getting more knowledge but its going into the realms of debate, surely if it was a forum would the best place for debate.
I answer questions i have knowledge and avoid heavily opinionated questions, because somethings can't be answered well using a keyboad!

Logicalawyer is spot on - I have just registered here for the simple reason that I would like to benefit from the knowledge of others - and occasionally offer some knowledge of my own. Google is indiscriminate as to what it throws at you - a human being should be able to offer far more focussed information - debate is for chat rooms and other similar forums, (or is that fora)

Whatever reasons rasputin1309 and logicalawyer have registered for may seem relevant but by expressing an opinion which is different to others then you have added to the debate. The site seems to benefit people for a variety of reasons and we should be applauding diversity not trying to control it. You have centred on one small facet of this genre but if you look through the questions lodged by visitors to the site you will see that the type of questions, which appear to interest you, are in the majority and should not affect your enjoyment. My advice is to ignore questions that do not interest you and answer the ones that do. as you say google is indescriminate so if you want an answer to a question that calls for an educated answer from a member or members of IQ you may have to accept a difference of opinion.

i think lycos iq is a place where you get different people's opinion on matters and not what is essentially written in textbooks or academic websites - i find it particularly helpful when a person explains to me say biochemistry in layman terms so that it is easy to understand, rather than from a textbook/wesite which tend to write in academic language.

moreover some people understand the same information better, and when they sort of relay it to you, it makes more sense than having just try to read it yourself from a website or a textbook