Gogimon: Borrowing Exalead’s Catchphrase
January 8, 2009
I have tracked Exalead for a number of years. Since the company opened its doors, its founder and technical guru has slipped the phrase “search by serendipity” into his conversations and even his interviews and public presentations. When I hear the word “serendipity”, I think of Exalead. I was quite surprised to read this headline “Gogimon Machine Delivers Serendipitous Search Experience.” The story was written by Jack Germain and published in eCommerce Times here. My hunch is that the use of this term was a headline writer’s attempt to catch my attention. It worked.
When I looked at the story, a couple of points jumped out at me. First, I wondered if the Gogimon system was built using the Exalead technology. I am on the record as a person who finds the Exalead engineering among the top tier in the search and content processing world. I mentioned this in the three editions of the late, not so beloved Enterprise Search Report, published by a content management consulting firm for several years, my “Beyond Search” study for a Boston consulting and conference company, and in the comments to my interview with Exalead’s founder here. I did not see a reference to Exalead in the story.
The Gogimon system installs on the user’s desktop computer. The system is smart and includes highlighting. Gogimon does not track user activities. Mr. Germain wrote:
The Gogimon Search Machine has a feature that is truly mind-bending. I clicked the Mind Reader icon at the top of the display after I browsed though a few of the narrowed search results. A separate window below the search results in each tabbed page opened with a list of suggestions for related topics. The Mind Reader feature analyzes the page contents from the existing search and offers up to 10 relevant links based on search results in all of the tabbed searches. Using Mind Reader makes it efficient and effective to narrow a search without running new searches. It also finds related topics that I normally would not have considered in my initial search.
The system is available for the Microsoft Windows platform. A Linux version is in the works. I installed the system and formulated these ideas:
- A metasearch system that reminded me a bit of the Autonomy kinjin system
- The system automatically identifies sites that present the sites most likely to have the needed information
- The business model appears to be anchored in advertising.
I suggest you download the system and give it a try. My other idea is that the phrase “change search into find” may be more pleasing to my ear that using Exalead’s term, but that’s just an addled goose’s opinion. Gogimon will have its work cut out for it. Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo offer downloadable systems which include search. You can also find other useful tools; for example, I still rely on Copernic for certain types of research. I noticed in the Copernic quarterly report here that the firm’s revenues from advertising declined. Gogimon may have to paddle upstream due to the present weakening in certain online advertising sectors.
Stephen Arnold, January 7, 2008
Comments
2 Responses to “Gogimon: Borrowing Exalead’s Catchphrase”
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
Stephen:
You talked about Google’s new office in Reston. Could you please provide me an address. I am having trouble contacting the Federal group. Thanks.
Regards,
Phil Lahar
Director – Business Development
Nortel Government Solutions (NGS)
ISS Sector – CMMI Level 5
12750 Fair Lakes Circle, Fairfax, VA 22033
Tel: (703) 539-3115 Cell:(703) 915-1521
Phil Lahar,
I have no direct interaction with Google. Maybe a lurking Googler will see your post and deign to contact you. Failing Google’s caring about you, write my son who is a real live platinum Google partner. You can contact him via his Web site at http://www.adheresolutions.com. The GOOG wants my goose roasted so you will want to chase my semi-googler son. As i understand it, the Google talks with him frequently. Imagine that!
Stephen Arnold, January 8, 2009