Google and Cuil

March 1, 2012

Google’s startup procurement habit is tapping into the known, as VentureBeat reports in “Google Buys What’s Left of Defunct Search Startup Cuil.” Founded in 2008 by two former Google employees and one from IBM, Cuil was forced to close its doors in 2010. Before the end, though, the company claimed to have indexed 120 billion pages; that’s more than Google had managed at the time.

About the patents Google acquired through the deal, writer Jolie O’Dell informs us:

“Most of the IP [Intellectual Property] revolves around user interfaces and how to better present search results when multiple meanings are possible for a single keyword or phrase. The patents do not contain any intellectual property about search algorithms; rather, these innovations are about UI [User Interface] only, not what’s under the hood.

“Google has been playing around quite a bit over the past few years with its KISS approach to search UI. After adding images, shopping results, and news results in with indexed web pages, the company recently unveiled the addition of people-powered social data via Google+.”

Yes, we know that tweaking the UI is one of Google’s favorite things. Acquiring the Cuil inventions makes Googley sense.

Dr. Anna Patterson, one of the former Googlers who started Cuil, will continue to innovate. She rejoined the company as a director after Cuil folded. Our beloved leader Stephen E Arnold covered the Anna Patterson inventions in Google Version 2.0. Dr. Patterson developed Xift and sold that technology to Alta Vista before joining the GOOG.

Maybe she can go home again?

Cynthia Murrell, March 1, 2012

Sponsored by Pandia.com

Comments

3 Responses to “Google and Cuil”

  1. » Search Engine News Wrap-up March 4 on March 4th, 2012 7:18 am

    […] Google and Cuil Beyond Search: Founded in 2008 by two former Google employees and one from IBM, Cuil was forced to close its doors in 2010. Before the end, though, the company claimed to have indexed 120 billion pages; that’s more than Google had managed at the time. Now Google has bought the patents. […]

  2. Search Engine News Wrap-up March 4 | Domain Buddy on March 26th, 2012 10:50 pm

    […] Google and Cuil Beyond Search: Founded in 2008 by two former Google employees and one from IBM, Cuil was forced to close its doors in 2010. Before the end, though, the company claimed to have indexed 120 billion pages; that’s more than Google had managed at the time. Now Google has bought the patents. […]

  3. Social Curation * Citizen Journalism? « International News for Homework on April 3rd, 2012 2:53 pm

    […] Google and Cuil Beyond Search: Founded in 2008 by two former Google employees and one from IBM, Cuil was forced to close its doors in 2010. Before the end, though, the company claimed to have indexed 120 billion pages; that’s more than Google had managed at the time. Now Google has bought the patents. […]

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