Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Jeopardy! Whiz Becomes Encarta Spokesman

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the riddle-me-this dept.

Ant writes "BetaNews' story says Microsoft tapped Jeopardy! king Ken Jennings, who recently finished his 75-game run on the show, to become the spokesman for its Encarta product line. Jennings will embark on a nationwide media tour called 'Quiz the Whiz' that challenges news desks to stump the human encyclopedia with questions from Microsoft's Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005."

8 of 339 comments (clear)

  1. PC Encyclopedias by javaman83 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Do a lot of people even use these anymore?
    I figured by now, the internet would have overtaken these completely.

  2. Trivia versus knowledge by YetAnotherName · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If there were a moderation, "1, Cynical", I'm sure I'd get it, but seriously ... for all of the knowledge apparently amassed by Mr Jennings, there is still a difference between trivia and knowledge. And there is a distinct whiff of one of the most vile of odors: marketing.

    1. Re:Trivia versus knowledge by MyLongNickName · · Score: 5, Insightful

      still a difference between trivia and knowledge

      But I'd be willing to bet there is a large positive correlation between the two.

      Yes, I'd mod you cynical. There is no evidence to indicate Ken Jennings was a moron with a great memory. IN the two shows I say (other people's houses), he was quick with comebacks to Alex. I also understand he was an engineer.

      And as for marketing... get over it. Ken wants to make some more money. Good luck Ken!

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    2. Re:Trivia versus knowledge by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I agree. But many of the comments seem to indicate no correlation between the two, or even a negative correlation.

      I choose to be happy for Ken. I wonder why so many others choose to be envious.

      --
      See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
    3. Re:Trivia versus knowledge by finkployd · · Score: 4, Insightful

      However trivia is knowing alot of little bits about different things. None of those bits are necessarily useful by themselves unless you're in a trivia competition.

      Wow, I totally disagree with that. I have found that having some working knowledge in a wide range of topics is better (overall) than knowing everything about one small topic. Most of the people I know who focus with laser like intensity on one small field are complete failures at every other aspect of their life. And I work at a University, I know a lot of these people ;)

      Personally, I am first and formost a middleware/security/cryptography geek, but I also get into history (specifically wars), economics (my major in college), music, biology, and other various topics that strike my fancy.

      I certainly am no expert on these topics, I probably do not pass the level you would consider trivia. I do, however, consider my life greatly enriched by learning all of these little factiods and trivia. At the very least I do not feel lost if conversation turns to something other than middleware/security/cryptography. Which (suprisingly) happens a lot, people just don't seem as excited about that stuff as I am in normal social situations :)

      Finkployd

  3. gotta admit by jwind · · Score: 3, Insightful

    He is the perfect spokes person... i mean sheesh, he swept the "beer and wine" topic one night-- and he's a Mormon folks. He's an information sponge.

  4. Atlas by harmonica · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Encarta has the best computer atlas I've ever seen, though. That's the most valuable part, and I've heard of people buying Encarta just for that atlas.

  5. Re:Wow... by bobobobo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well he is LDS(Mormon) and one of the central tenets of the religion is family. Genuinely loving your family and wanting to spend time with them. He's being honest here, it is a classic answer any self-respecting Latter-Day Saint would give.