September 23, 2009, 9:26 PM — Ever wanted to read other people's observations -- or even share your own -- when you're browsing the Web? Google Toolbar's new Sidewiki feature, which currently works in Firefox and Internet Explorer, lets you read and post comments on virtually any Web page. Here's a quick run-through of how it works.
First, download the Google Toolbar with Sidewiki. Installation takes only a few minutes.
Once installation is complete, restart your browser. The Sidewiki button will appear in the Google Toolbar.
To see Sidewiki in action, go to a popular content site such as CNN.com. Select a story, and then click the Sidewiki button. If other Sidewiki users have already commented on the story, you'll see a list of entries in a right-side column, or sidebar.
Have an brilliant observation or additional information to share? Click "Write an entry" at the bottom of the sidebar. (To add a comment, you'll first have to log into your Google account.)
To filter out spam, off-topic remarks, and the all-too-common illiterate rants that plague comments sections of many sites, Sidewiki uses a "quality algorithm" in addition to user ratings to determine the order of entries that appear in the sidebar. You can vote on the usefulness of individual posts.
You can share a Sidewiki comment via Facebook, Twitter, email, or Web link.
For more information on Sidewiki, including a brief video demo, check out this post on The Official Google Blog.
