Yahoo, Google, and MSN seem to be following each other into every search space. No matter who leads the way, the other two are soon to follow. So it’s no surprise that within a few months of Google launching Google Answers, we’re given Yahoo! Answers.

Yahoo! Answers works by users submitting their questions for free to the website. Their question is categorized and will appear on the homepage if it’s unanswered. Other Yahoo users will be able to answer your question.

Any user. From 13 year old to professional researcher. You then rate answers on whether they answered your question. Once you’re satisfied, you mark it as resolved and it’s archived for eternity for other users to learn.

Points will be awarded to users for answering questions, voting on responses, and more. These points will determine your level and help Askers learn whose answers to trust. Plus they’re directly translated into cool points in my book.

Pretty cool that they take advantage of the community to answer questions.

Comparatively, Google uses a team of professional researchers to answer questions. They have a pool of 500 ready to go. You ask a question to Google Answers and put in the most you’re willing to pay for an answer, and the researchers will do your bidding.

So I guess you have to weight out the two choices. Do you want a free answer from a community where you’ll have to weed through retarded responses? Or do you want to pay for an answer from a professional?

Yeah, free. I knew you’d say that!