Talk:Google Talk released in beta form

• I don't think this counts as news. If it does, it needs to be written more like a news article and less like an ad. Krisjohn 06:58, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

What do you want me to do? I didn't think it sounds like an ad. I think Google is pretty popular - I don't know if you've heard of them - they have a search engine... and it's not like Google Talk costs any money. When Gmail increased their storage capacity from 1 to 2 GB - that was a news story -see Gmail 1st Birthday; Storage capacity increased to 2GB. When Gmail was translated in 12 languages, that was a news story - Google translates Gmail to 12 languages, asks for volunteers to target 144 more. Surely this is a bigger story than those two. The reason there are no other sources besides Wikipedia (so far) is because Google Talk was just released 3 hours ago! Isn't the point of Wikinews to allow anyone to make stories quickly and easily? So what's wrong with letting Wikinews to be one of the first to break the story? -Hyad 07:18, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

• That attitude won't earn you any points. A product release is not news unless you can write up something more than a glorified ad. Commericial TV might fill its news programming with this sort of fluff, but we should be able to manage something better. Anyway, I'm sure a couple of other editors will have a go and try to make the article more suitable. (sorry, forgot the Krisjohn 02:55, 25 August 2005 (UTC))

Who the hell wrote this? Some obscure open source project launching a new version isn't news. But when one of the most widely-known brands on the planet launches a major news service, that's news. Big news. Dan100 (Talk) 15:38, August 24, 2005 (UTC)

OK, but I was a little upset that you said "I don't think this counts as news." I definitely think it's more news worthy than Gmail 1st Birthday; Storage capacity increased to 2GB or Google translates Gmail to 12 languages, asks for volunteers to target 144 more. I have never written a news article, so I didn't eactly know what I was doing wrong. I assume more people will edit to this story (as it develops) from other sources. But come on, why can't Wikinews be the first source of information? The Wikipedia:Google Talk article seems to have enough info to write a short news article as it stands right now. I went to Wikinews:Writing an article, followed all the steps, what more do you ask? -Hyad 08:29, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

It just needs some cleaning up to make it read more like news. I'll have a go and you can see how it looks ClareWhite 07:40, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

I've done some cleanup and published it, people will be quite excited by it and I agree it should be published asap. It's not an area I know much about but is it the first free service of its kind? Is this Google's next step in taking over the world? Kepp working on it and add some more sources when they do become available. ClareWhite 07:56, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

Thanks from editing the page. Looks fine to me. In answer to your question "is it the first free service of its kind?" No - all of them are free except I think Trillian Pro. However, Google has a reputation for making things simple to use (like Gmail). In answer to your other question "Is this Google's next step in taking over the world?" I'd have to say yes 8^). Pretty soon, we may all be drinking Google Gulp. Read more. I love their flavors - ummm... "Sero-Tonic Water." -Hyad 08:29, 24 August 2005 (UTC)

• I'd just like to point out that this same story is the front page lead of the British Finacial Times. That suggests it's newsworthy :-) Dan100 (Talk) 15:36, August 24, 2005 (UTC)

I found the link to the Financial Times article here. I figure anyone reading this can go there if they want. I don't really think this counts as a "source" (to put it in the main article) since we didn't actually use any info from them (and besides there are plenty of other publications doing the story). But did anyone notice there is another Google wikinews story that came out today: Google provides Gmail access to American cell phone customers? I wonder if August 24 is the new April 1: see Wikipedia:Google's hoaxes#Non-hoaxes. (How much you want to bet that Gmail will go out of beta stage by this time next year?) I'm trying to think of the the significance of August 24th that is somehow related to Google - the reason they made two announcements in one day. Nothing yet... -Hyad 01:13, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

It's his first story....

Well hell, my first Wikinews story (under AutisticPsycho) was Google planning PayPal rival (which delightfully if searched for by its title turns up as the first result on Google!) That was newsworthy. Anyways, go soft on the fucking guy, it's his first story. Krisjohn, you sounded a little harsh and rough on the guy, this isn't something we to portray. We're trying to attract users, not scare them off, they might just continuing devloping current events articles on WP instead of doing it here, or they could go contribute to compeitors like Ohmynews or Slashdot. Anyways, I think it's a great story... I wouldn't have know about it had it not been for Wikinews. The only thing that sucks about Google talk (and Google Earth) is that they only run on Win XP/2000/2003 :( --TUFKAAP 02:41, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

• All I said was that I didn't think it was newsworthy, and if it was, it needed to be less like an ad. He's the one with the "maybe you've heard of it" bit. You may notice that I newsyfied it -- spent a bit of time on it after the item began to look more newsworthy. Much as I might be using the service as I type, I still question the news value of yet another IM product just because it's from Google. Krisjohn 02:55, 25 August 2005 (UTC)

God help us! Will people ever learn. We cover everything. Whether a multi billion doller company launchs a new service or the local school bus breaks down - it is entitled to a space here indiscriminatly. I can't remember who's keeping the list, but there is a list of articles that have been attacked by ignorant pessimists as being "too local", "uninteresting", "not news" or whatever. Can you not understand - as long as it ain't biased it is news. Wikinews will someday cover everything down to neighbourhood level. Oh and finally (while im doing my monthly rant) - Harvey Beef employs 600 people and has sales of $0.16bn; whilst Google employs 3,000+ and has sales of $3.2bn. So which company has the greater impact on the global economy? → CGorman (Talk) 15:41, 25 August 2005 (UTC)