There are certain tasks that require a substantial amount of work performing dull activities. Researching data for books is typically one of these cases for many people. Companies can use online websites like ShortTask.com to allow people with more free time to do these tasks for them. This allows the company to not have to hire new individuals, which is especially important in these dire economic times. Moreover, companies can offer higher cash incentives to get certain projects accomplished. Once the pay seems reasonable enough, then the work will be adequate. If the pay rate is too low, it appears as if the company does not care about the worker and the work will be poor. Hence, if one wants to get a certain amount of people to research data for the text adequately and carefully, then the compensation must be fair for his/her time.

A solver task that could be set is to undertake research into a certain topic for use in a book. The solver could use the wealth of information that is available on the internet to find the data for the solver. Similarly the solver could use books found in the local library and type them up into a useable form for an author of a book. The solver may be required to mine some specific types of numerical data. For example the solver may be required to collect interest rate data from a variety of different central banks, order it in a logical sequence and present it back to the seeker. The solver has access to most information possible and as such any research into any topic can be undertaken as a work task.