Azure Chip Consultants Hop on the Twitter Bandwagon
March 31, 2009
A happy quack to the reader who sent me the link to “Gartner: A Business Guide to Twitter” here. If you need guidance about Twitter, navigate here and get the scoop on Twitter. An alternative is to ask a Twitter user under the age of 30.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Adhere Solutions: Sticky Solutions and Connectors
March 31, 2009
I like Adhere Solutions’ software. I should. The company was conceived by my son, Erik S. Arnold. He once worked with the goslings, but he flew the coop to Chicago and services clients worldwide with his sticky solutions and connectors technology. Stuart Schram IV, one of ArnoldIT’s top geese, interviewed Erik Arnold. The full text of the conversation appears below. After the interview, you can read the full text of the Adhere Solutions news release about its newest product
Erik S. Arnold, Adhere Solutions. Quite Googley and reliable I wish to add.
What’s an Adhere?
Adhere Solutions is a Google Enterprise Partner providing products and services that help businesses create solutions based on Google and other cloud computing technologies. We have an experienced team of consultants to help our customers leverage Google’s Enterprise products (Search, Maps, Apps) to create business applications that improve access to information, communication and collaboration. Adhere will compliment Google’s enterprise products with other software and services to meet clients’ needs. Using Google as a foundation delivers applications faster and cheaper than traditional enterprise software approaches, while making end users happy. Few managers understand how they can create high-end solutions leveraging Google technologies.
Why are you providing connectors?
Connectors are an important piece of the puzzle to take advantage of Google technologies. For the GSA, it allows users to search across different sources of information inside an enterprise. I call the the Google Search Appliance a “SaaS in the Box,” because you can do sophisticated things with it if you leverage its APIs. However, you do have to have a good deal of search expertise to use the advanced capabilities.
Adhere Solutions wants to make it easy for GSA customers to index their enterprise data, and our connectors bridge the gap between the GSA and internal content stored in databases, document management systems, etc. This approach is the same as other enterprise software solutions, but customers are shielded through expensive professional services and setup fees. We want to educate the marketplace that they can use the GSA to perform these functions with connectors for a lower cost.
What’s a typical use case for your software?
Good question. I think that connectors in a search environment are easier to understand. We have a customer at a government agency that wishes to index a Documentum system with Google. Our connector extracts the data from Documentation, processes the data, and feeds it to the GSA. This process takes place on a server that outside of the GSA.
Image source: http://homepages.ius.edu/USTEWART/super_glue.jpg
A major reason for our investment in connectors, though, has to do with improvements to Google Apps. Google recently announced its visualization tools (http://googleenterprise.blogspot.com/2009/03/charts-charts-charts.html), so it is now possible to send selected enterprise data into Google Apps and have access to real-time visualization of your enterprise data. This to me is groundbreaking, I think that it is very cost efficient way to create business intelligence applications in a Google interface.
Can you deliver custom connectors?
We can build custom connectors, but we tend to license our connectors from established software vendors. Connecting into enterprise systems is not new, it is just that until now, no one has packaged a high end connector suite for the GSA. For lack of a better term, Adhere Solutions is more of an integrator than a software company. We use existing high quality products whenever we can.
How does a connector differentiate you from other GSA specialists?
Adhere Solutions is unique in that everyone involved has many years of enterprise search experience. Our goal as a company is to introduce Google into higher end search procurements. While Google Search Appliance is easy to get up and running, it is not uncommon to need help with basic search tasks. What is easy to Google is not easy for everyone. There are many fine GSA specialists who can help with basic setups, but we see ourselves as unique in delivering Google for high end solutions.
How do people reach you?
Write me: erik at adheresolutions dot com or call. Our number is 800 799 0520.
Here’s the full text of the Adhere Solutions news release:
Adhere Solutions Expands Its All Access Connector Suite For the Google Search Appliance to Include Enterprise Content Management Systems
Businesses now can provide employees greater access to enterprise data through the Google Search Appliance’s popular interface
Chicago, IL — March 31, 2009 — Today, Adhere Solutions, a certified Google Enterprise Partner, announced that its All Access Connector for the Google Search Appliance includes instant connectivity to over 30 popular enterprise content management systems, including EMC, Documentum, eRoom, IBM FileNet, and Lotus Notes, Interwoven’s TeamSite and Work Site, Microsoft SharePoint, Open Text, Oracle Stellent, Xerox Docushare and many more.
Adhere Solutions’ connector suite for the Google Search Appliance allows users to find information stored in disparate data sources and applications with Google’s user interface. This relieves users from having to separately search within each application and information repository. The Google Search Appliance combined with the All Access Connector empowers companies to efficiently unify information access and help users quickly find information to effectively perform their job.
“Users don’t particularly know or care about the subtleties of universal search vs. federated search – their mission is not to search, but rather to find. They are also not terribly interested in knowing WHY they cannot search for certain information,” said Dan Keldsen, noted Findability expert, Co-founder and Principal at Information Architect (www.InformationArchitected.com). “If factors in their findability frustrations have been because Google ‘couldn’t get there from here’ – the odds just significantly improved that the Google Search Appliance will be able to search across ALL of your information, rather than the ‘web native’ content Google is known for.”
Indexing connectors for enterprise content management systems are the newest addition to Adhere Solutions’ All Access Connector for the Google Search Appliance, which already includes federated search access to over 5,400 internal and external databases, repositories, subscription content sources, data feeds and business intelligence applications. With this addition Adhere Solutions delivers a suite of secure connectors to reduce the complexity and cost of searching across enterprise data repositories.
“Many organizations struggle with how to unlock their data when they have multiple content and document management solutions dispersed throughout their organization.” said Erik Arnold, Co-founder and President of Adhere Solutions. “We want every manager, IT or otherwise, to know that we enable the Google Search Appliance to provide enterprise search better, cheaper, and faster than other approaches.”
About Adhere Solutions
Adhere Solutions is a Google Enterprise Partner providing products and services that help businesses increase productivity through the accelerated adoption of Google and other technologies. Adhere’s experienced team of consultants help customers leverage Google’s Enterprise Search products, Google Maps, and Google Apps to create business applications that improve access to information, communication and collaboration.
For more information on Adhere Solutions products or services visit the company’s Web site at www.adheresolutions.com or write info@adheresolutions.com.
###
If you would like more information on this topic, or to schedule an interview with Erik Arnold, please contact Amy DiNorscio at (312) 380-5772 or write to pr@adheresolutions.com
Stuart Schram IV, March 31, 2009
Google Security Method Echoes Microsoft’s No Problem Policy
March 31, 2009
Short take. Google Docs has some security issues. Google’s view of these issues, according to PCWorld here, is to reassure. PCWorld wrote:
In an official blog posting, Jonathan Rochelle, Google Docs’ product manager, details why the company has determined that the issues included in the analyst’s report are far from critical.
Banks don’t talk too much about security. Microsoft doesn’t talk too much about security. Google doesn’t talk to much about security. Factor these sentences and you get, “Don’t worry.” You will have to make your own decision about which services are ready for prime time in the real world.
Stephen Arnold, March 29, 2009
Missing the Kosmix Story
March 31, 2009
I read as many stories about the search engines that will be the “next Google.” The editors at Forbes.com like these write ups as well. The most recent one begins with the old saw “life after Google”. You can read “Life after Google: What’s the Next Hot Search Engine?” here. Mr. Buley tips his hat toward Cuil.com, Dr. Anna Patterson’s whack at Google’s carotid. There’s a brief glimpse of Aardvark, a social service that expects Web surfers to formulate and type questions into a search box. With the average query in the 2.3 word range, I think we know how successful that approach will be in crippling the GOOG. Finally, Mr. Buley swallows a bite of Kosmix PR goodness. Kosmix is a mash up service, more like a smart portal with Google results and probably a half dozen or more other sources of information. The key point of the write up is that the world does not need another Google. What the world needs is a mash up, point and click, we think for you service probably a lot like Kosmix. The most interesting comment in the write up, a sentence lost on the Forbes’s editor who crafted the headline, was:
And even if the new search engines persuade users to try more than just Google, they still face the prospect of Google moving into their turf. Blog search used to be a separate market segment in search, with several companies battling to dominate. After Google added blog search to its main search menu, there was the predictable shake-out. Of course, this also means that should any of these companies become a success inside their niche, they would become a Google acquisition target — which may be all the motivation any of them need. “I think it’s fair to say that the conventional search game is over,” says Kosmix’s Rajaraman. “But that doesn’t mean the Internet game is over.”
I wonder if Mr. Buley tugged the threads that connect Cuil.com and Kosmix.com to Google? Cuil.com indexed some quite interesting Google content in its prelaunch run up. Kosmix’s Anand Rajaraman has demonstrated in his Web log pretty useful Google access in my opinion. Not just anyone gets a chance to hob nob with Peter Norvig. That might be a more interesting angle to pursue. Ah, if I were not an addled goose and so old and tired.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Another Google Chatty Kathy: Gmail Wizard Speaks
March 30, 2009
Short honk: If you revel in Googler interviews, click here to read Ars Techica’s interview with Todd Jackson, Gmail. For me, the most interesting comment in the write up was:
Jackson touted a philosophy of rapid feature development and discussed his perception that communication is a constantly evolving landscape, so his team doesn’t see the point in ever calling Gmail “finished.”
Most of the info was from the “run the game plan” presentations Googlers deliver at conferences.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Microsoft and MySpace: Two Headlines that Reveal Much
March 30, 2009
A short honk: two headlines. The first is “MySpace Shrinks as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo Grab Its Users” from the Guardian (a UK dead tree outfit). You can read the story here which makes the point that MySpace is in decline. The second is “MySpace and Microsoft Team Up: What Does it Mean for Facebook and Google?” from Mashable here. For the addled goose, the two headlines provide a clear look at Microsoft’s social software timing. I get the same feeling when I miss my bus. I don’t think the GOOG will lose much sleep.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Interview with a Chrome Plated Googler
March 30, 2009
The dead tree Financial Times published “The Genius behind Google’s web Browser” here. If you are Google watcher you will want to read the interview. For me the most interesting comment in the interview was:
Many computer programs are built using previous versions, or related code, but V8 was started from scratch – a blank slate.
Bold statement. I think it may need some qualification, but that would interrupt the flow of a story that creates a story about two guys working in isolation to craft Chrome. My sources tell me that the Danes hooked into MOMA, collaborated with various Google wizards, and used that which was already hardened and available to Google wizards. I like the FT’s spin, but I think my understanding reflects a more likely work approach. If you know something different, honk at me via the comments. I can’t contain my enthusiasm. That’s contain as in “containers”, a Google innovation that seems quite useful to me when I run ig in Chrome. Well, maybe not because the FT says Chrome began with a “blank slate.”
Stephen Arnold, March 31, 2009
Microsoft’s Live Search Becomes an Application
March 30, 2009
Is this the way to close the gap in Web search? I don’t know. I read the article “Your Next Live Search Destination: Flight Status” by Stuart Johnson here and came away with a hunch that Microsoft is changing direction. I am an addled goose and usually heading south when other geese go north. Judge for yourself. Here’s my suggestion for the key sentence in the article:
“Live Search is becoming more than just a place to get information — it is also a place you can do things,” Lee wrote. “We are simplifying key tasks with Active Answers, a new method of retrieving up-to-the-minute data from the Web.”
I interpreted this to mean that Live Search is no longer about search. The key phrase is “you can do things.” Now Microsoft can claim a number one position in a portal that allows users to do things. Oh, I forgot. AOL and Yahoo do that already. Hmmm.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Google Go Back and Managerial Guidance
March 30, 2009
If I were a Google top dog, I think I would want my suggestions followed. Well, I was in for a surprise when I read “Hacking Google: Retro Links Revives Old Google Feature” here. The addled goose knows that he is creeping close to April Fool’s Day. You read this post and decide for yourself. The main point is that allegedly a Googler can allegedly work around a Google function that has allegedly been terminated. “Allegedly” is important when writing about Googlers who hack. For me, the most interesting comment in the post was:
Why not recreate this search feature on Google with modern search engines and Web sites? Because of the pain of maintaining an “official” list, we probably couldn’t turn this on for every user (plus not every user wants a lot of extra links added to their search results). But why not provide a completely unofficial option that people could install? Thus was born Retro Links, which is a Greasemonkey script to add new search options to Google’s search results page.
Let’s think about this, hypothetically, of course. Please, note the “hypothetical” nature of this thought experiment.
If Googlers can create unofficial work arounds, what does this imply for assurances that certain data are scrubbed on a cycle, available only to certain Googlers, and other points where privacy intersect with human Googlers?
If a feature is disabled, presumably by an alleged manager, and we have this alleged informal and fun hack, what happens when a manager says, “This information is confidential” or “This personnel information about an employee must not be discussed”?
Make up your own mind. I don’t work for a real company any more. I recall a couple of outfits such as Halliburton’s Nuclear Utilities Services unit where hacking around a company action could produce some interesting visits from non Googley people.
Times are indeed different. I’m glad I am here in the mine drainage pond with my un Googley goslings. These folks follow guidelines, suggestions, and policies in my experience.
Check out this “hack” or April Fool’s Day levity. Oh, something struck me. What if this alleged hack is not a joke at all. Yikes!
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
Google and the Gray Lady
March 30, 2009
Short take only: Read Valleywag’s “Times Nukes Itself on Google” here. The influential Web log reminded me that the New York Times has angled for getting its stories boosted in a Google results list. The Valleywag correctly observes that the New York Times has made it difficult to take advantage of its visibility and its existing Web sites. Valleywag’s Ryan Tate wrote:
The Times‘ longtime online chief, Martin Niesenholtz, recently whined that a Google search on the word “Gaza” didn’t include any of his content on the first results page. And yet he just nuked 121,000 of his own articles [via a redirect] containing that keyword.
I don’t have much to add when outfits needing traffic to generate revenue make a decision to reduce traffic. Amazing and not surprising. I bet the Times’s professionals have a well written, detailed analysis of why their decision should work. Obviously to the Times’s analysts Google is the problem. I don’t think so. Google’s not perfect, but not even Googzilla can save some publishers from themselves.
Stephen Arnold, March 30, 2009
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