Google Sidewiki facts for kids
Google Sidewiki was a special online service from Google that started on September 23, 2009. It was like a digital notebook that let you add comments to almost any webpage on the internet. Imagine being able to write notes or share thoughts directly on a website, even if you didn't own it!
Contents
What Was Google Sidewiki?
Google Sidewiki was a free tool that worked with your web browser. It added a "sidebar" or "sidewiki" next to the website you were visiting. This sidebar was a place where you could see comments from other people or write your own.
How Did It Work?
To use Google Sidewiki, you needed a special add-on for your web browser.
- For browsers like Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, it was part of the Google Toolbar.
- For Google Chrome, it was a separate add-on.
- For other browsers like Safari, you could use a special link called a bookmarklet.
When you visited a website, you could click a special Sidewiki button. This would open a window or panel next to the webpage. In this panel, you could read comments that others had left about that specific page. You could also write your own comments, questions, or helpful tips.
Who Could See the Comments?
The comments you wrote were saved on Google's computers, not on the website itself. This meant that the owner of the website couldn't stop you from adding comments or remove them. Anyone else using Google Sidewiki could see what you and others had written about that page. It was a way for people to share extra information or opinions about a website.
Why Did Google Sidewiki Stop Working?
Google Sidewiki was discontinued on September 2, 2011. This means it was shut down and no longer available. Google often tries out new ideas and services. If a service doesn't become very popular or useful to enough people, Google might decide to stop it. This allows them to focus on other projects.
