Censorship Gains Momentum
February 1, 2012
Yep, I told readers that filtering and censorship were here to stay. Not much to add to my earlier prognostication. Navigate to Google’s “Why Does My Blog Redirect to a Country-Specific URL?” The answer, Pilgrim, is to make it possible to block content on a country-specific basis. There are other types of filtering in action, and I don’t want to spoil your vision of free and open access by diving into this subject. I covered it in my 2005 The Google Legacy. Let’s see. That was six years ago. Slow pressure can move a freight car in the rail yard. Same in the physics of information. Do you know how hard it is to stop a freight car moved by a single person’s pushing against the many-tonned beastie? Tip. Don’t stand in front of the slow moving freight car to push it with your hands. Censorship works the same way. How does one access filtered, censored, or blocked content? Get a job higher up the food chain. Works.
Stephen E Arnold, February 2, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Cracking Technology Start Ups
February 1, 2012
Quote to Note: If you have an MBA and are dreaming about making big money in technology start ups, you will want to read “New Identified Research Reveals Engineers Far More Likely than MBAs to Build and Run Companies.” My interest is search, which is a spectacularly complex technical process. I have watched companies run by MBAs crash and burn. An English major with a knowledge of medieval Latin would probably have done an equally poor job. But MBAs!
Here’s the quote I noted:
We culled through 36 million professional profiles in the Identified database and found 3,337 founder/CEOs have an advanced engineering background compared with 1,016 MBAs. The ratio of undergrad business and engineering founders/ CEOs is about even (9,461 versus 9,334), a significant shift occurs in the number of leaders who have advanced degrees.
Not all will succeed, of course, and you will want to read the entire document which is available at this link. I don’t know for how long, however.
Stephen E Arnold, February 1, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Protected: Tips for Improving SharePoint Search
February 1, 2012
SharePoint 2010 – Managing File Types and Sizes
February 1, 2012
SharePoint is a broad infrastructure, popular for its ability to handle a broad range of information storage and retrieval needs. However, SharePoint is a business tool and in order to function properly needs to be maintained according to best practices. One such best practice that should be followed in order to maintain efficiency pertains to file types and file sizes. Michal Pisarek with SharePoint Analyst HQ offers his input in, “Managing File Types and Sizes in SharePoint 2010.”
Good SharePoint governance policies will frequently containing operational directives regarding both the type and size of files that can be stored on SharePoint 2010. Being able to control the types of files is essential to any organization to ensure that only the correct type of content is stored within the platform. Many organizations encourage their users to move content to SharePoint, however they do not want users moving their entire iTunes library or video collection to the platform. Another issue is of maximum file size. The ability to control the maximum size of file that can be uploaded to SharePoint is a must for many organizations.
Pisarek goes on to offer helpful suggestions for setting best practices, templates, and standards when it comes to working with end users to set file types and sizes within a SharePoint installation. However, there are third party solutions that make handling files of any type much easier. One solution worth examining is Fabasoft Mindbreeze.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise is able to search all data sources connected to the platform simultaneously. In addition to data from, for example, Microsoft Exchange or the file system, the Fabasoft Folio Connector allows to query information objects and documents from Fabasoft Folio too.
Read more about the Fabasoft Folio Connector and how it may help your organization handle files of all types.
Emily Rae Aldridge, February 1, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
PLM the Best Solution for Eliminating Unnecessary Costs
February 1, 2012
As the popularity of product lifecycle management (PLM) grows in this difficult economy there has been a renewed interested in cost effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) associated with the adoption of PLM practices. The article, How to Evaluate PLM Costs and ROI, on TechMatchPRO, breaks down the benefits and risks to adopting PLM.
The article definitely supports companies’ turning to PLM to streamline processes and cut costs including waste at all levels. Of a recent trend that we’ve been particularly interested in lately, the article reported,
“The integration of PLM with other enterprise applications is a definite trend. Integrating PLM applications across the enterprise allows organizations to:
1) Share and reuse product definitions across virtually all aspects of the enterprise
2) Align their systems and processes internally with those of partners, suppliers, dealers, and service providers
3) Make product information more easily available across systems
4) Automate business procedures prone to human error.”
One should pay close attention to their third benefit of PLM integration: make product information more easily available across systems. Within engineering this has been a particular troublesome issue as CAD/CAM data often get left behind during enterprise search. By following the advice of this article and adopting new data management solutions within a larger PLM application companies do better to stave on unnecessary loss due to duplication and man-hours lost to futile searches.
Catherine Lamsfuss, February 1, 2012
ASG Acquires Riverglass: More Big Data Action
February 1, 2012
RiverGlass News and Media reported on their recent acquisition by ASG Software Solutions in the article “Allen Systems Group (ASG) Acquires Intelligence Search Intelligence Search Firm Riverglass.”
Based in Naples, Florida, ASG Software Solutions is a recognized innovator in IT software solutions. The company announced in October that it acquired RiverGlass, a leading provider of eDiscovery, advanced information collection, data management and analysis solutions.
We learned:
The integration of RiverGlass’ robust intelligent search technologies with ASG’s content management solutions will provide ASG customers with improved capabilities in data collection, management of structured and unstructured data, and access to meaningful analytics.
In addition to the RiverGlass acquisition, according to a December news release, ASG has also acquired Atempo, a leading provider of data protection and backup management software headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.
By acquiring these two data management solutions companies, ASG will be able to help its customers combat the exponential data growth and increasing complexity in meeting e-discovery and compliance regulations.
Jasmine Ashton, February 1, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Interview with Paul Doscher
February 1, 2012
Paul Doscher is the CEO of LucidWorks, formerly Lucid Imagination. Before taking the helm of LucidWorks, Doscher led enterprise search vendor Exalead, from 2008-2011. Fierce Content Management has taken an interest in Doscher’s expertise and has conducted an interview with the leader entitled, “One on one with Paul Doscher, CEO LucidWorks.”
Fierce Content Management’s first question to Doscher asked how large amounts of untraditional data could be handled by the enterprise. He responded:
“Enterprise search has adapted dramatically over the past years. Many people think of search as executed through the use of a simple user interface and predicated on keyword matching. Such search results are static and lack intelligence. These types of search solutions remain relevant and appealing to certain enterprises. And yet, with the rapid explosion of text messaging, emails, video, digital recordings and smartphones, the amount of data that companies need to access and understand has grown monumentally and continues to mount. We see enterprise search extending well beyond the basic functionality to deliver results to business users that are meaningful and actionable.”
Doscher goes on to discuss the power of LucidWorks Search and particularly LucidWorks Big Data to conquer the new challenge of unstructured data. LucidWorks gets its strength not only from Doscher’s experience and leadership, but also from its open source foundation. Open source is in general a more agile, a more cost effective, and a more sustainable base for powerful software solutions.
Emily Rae Aldridge, February 1, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Pingar Sets Up Shop in Silicon Valley
February 1, 2012
Pingar, smaller than Google’s catering staff, sets up shop in Silicon Valley. The Bay of Plenty Times announces, “Tauranga Firm Sets Up Silicon Valley Base.” The New Zealand publication reports that co-founders Peter and Jacqui Wren-Hilton were impressed by the size of the big dogs’ campuses when they visited. Pingar follows three other New Zealand tech companies into Silicon Valley: Endace, Xero, and SLI Systems.
Pingar, which, in addition to the Valley, has offices in two New Zealand locations and in London, Hong Kong, Bangalore, and, soon, Singapore. Its innovative search engine works by asking specific questions. The company also offers an API, with 18 components accessible to developers. It is looking to break into the scanner market, with a unique product that automatically applies metadata to scanned documents. Yes, that would be helpful!
The company was recognized by the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs as one of 30 hot emerging tech companies from around the world. Pingar is growing into its success; the article notes:
Twelve months ago Pingar employed 12 people, now the number is 30 and Mr Wren-Hilton predicts the staff will double to 60 by the end of next year; involving 20 in research and development, and 40 in business development, marketing and support services.
“Twenty-five of them will be based in Auckland and Tauranga, and 35 will be overseas, including seven in Silicon Valley.
Nicely played, Pingar.
Cynthia Murrell, February 1, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
ZyLAB: Into the Conference Game
February 1, 2012
“ZyLAB Universe 2011: Meeting the Formidable Challenges of Information Management” at Project Counsel is a useful description of the company. The write up on the conference, which organizers hope will become an annual event, summarizes several presentations. In the description of a company overview presentation, we learn from the article:
[ZyLAB] was founded in 1983 in Chicago, now with offices worldwide with 120 employees and was the first company to develop full-text search on the PC platform. It is a leader in information access, e-discovery and records management. It’s international presence is enormous with more than 9,000 installations and 1.7 million users world-wide, with offices in the U.S., Europe and the Asia Pacific.
Other featured descriptions prove enlightening, demonstrating ZyLAB’s focus and point of view. For example, “The 5 Myths of E-Disclosure” details how to approach that complex subject wisely. Also, the session on IT functionality shows the company is cognizant of the nuts and bolts behind what they do. See the article for more insights. As vendors jump into conferences, we wonder if this is a core competency, a way to send a message without competitors in the room, or just a way to sidestep the costs of the flagship international events?
Cynthia Murrell, February 1, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
The Newest Version of Tibbr Exceeds Expectations
February 1, 2012
In my opinion, tibbr dramatically reduces unnecessary human intervention in the workplace, thereby making work less unpleasant while freeing up resources for the really interesting work. Not the greatest nor shortest sales pitch – but then I’m not selling anything here…I see business cases by the dozens here. tibbr 3.5 socialises the entire world, inside as well as outside the enterprise.
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
