SciFi 451 Now an Error Code

June 18, 2012

There is a new law code in the online world and though it honors Ray Bradbury in reference, it might possibly censor others that do too. The article 451: Web Censorship Status Code explains the possibilities when the server is subject to legal restrictions which prevent it servicing the request. One has to wonder, Is this error code bad news for a consulting firm with the same name, 451?

It is very possible that issues may arise as the article gave the example of:

“A Google Android developer and co-creator of one of the first Web search engines, Open Text and XML, proposed to the Internet Engineering Task Force that code 451 be used for, “when resource access is denied for legal reasons.”

“Now, I haven’t made an error when making this request. Furthermore: The server understood the request, but is refusing to fulfill it. In this case, the server did not even see the request. It was intercepted by my ISP and rejected by them on legal grounds. Therefore, none of the existing “error” codes fitted.”

Ironically, the name of this code and the companies below come from Ray Bradbury’s classic science-fiction novel, Fahrenheit 451. Now 451 Research, a leading global analyst and Data Company and 451, who have been in business since 1995 developing interactive design might be afflicted with issues.

Internet Censorship was common place in Middle-Eastern countries and former dictatorships like China, Iran and Egypt. Now, to the disbelief of millions, it has come to the United States. This code will possibly cause havoc for innocent companies of the same name.

Jennifer Shockley, June 20, 2012

Sponsored by Ikanow

Fabasoft Sees Share Growth and Profit in the Technology Sector

June 18, 2012

In “Fabasoft Linzer makes 700,000 Euros Profit,” the Futurezone.at blog takes a look at the climbing revenue at Fabasoft. Fabasoft AG (FAA.DE) shares have seen an uptick in recent months and have generally been hovering between €3.5 and €4 since March. According to the Fabasoft Annual Report, 2011/2012 saw an 8.3 percent increase from the 2010/2011 fiscal year.

The company listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange Austrian software manufacturer Fabasoft AG announced Friday evening, an operating profit of 700,000 € for the financial year 2011/12. In the previous financial year 2010/11 the company had suffered losses amounting to 300,000 euros. Revenues climbed from 21.1 million euros to 22.9 million euros. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounted to 2.2 million euros (1.0 million euros a year earlier).

In the Fabasoft Annual Report letter from the managing Board, Fallman and Bauernfeind also have this to say about the growth,

However, it is not only the intensity of use of our cloud products that has increased over the past fiscal year. We have also recorded encouraging growth in the ‘classic’ business sector with software licenses and the associated services. In the key business with public sector clients we have continued to make good progress despite – and in some cases also because of – considerable savings targets. Our government clients benefit from the innovation that characterizes our product development combined with the years of professional experience of a leading and proven supplier in this market segment…Based on our commitment to responsibility and sustainability the Fabasoft Group has, in the fiscal year under review, developed even further in terms of product portfolio, product accessibility, sales and marketing and in respect of providing services.

With such growth, it seems clear that Fabasoft is on the right track. In terms of cloud services and search, you may consider the full suite of solutions available from Fabasoft, including Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise. The cost-efficient and comprehensive search solution creates relevant knowledge from processing data. With extensive search, your users can find the right information at the right time facilitating the reuse of valuable business knowledge. And with mobile and Web site search features, consider Fabasoft Mindbreeze as the comprehensive solution for your information management. Read more about the full suite of solutions at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.

Philip West, June 18, 2012

Sponsored by Pandia.com

Sunglass Offers Innovative Collaboration Centered Software

June 18, 2012

One of the essential goals of product lifecycle management (PLM) is to make collaboration between engineers and departments easier.  Software designed with this concept of sharing in the forefront of its usefulness is not only much needed but celebrated when created.  The latest software offering sharing capabilities is Sunglass as explained in the Design News article, “Startup Sunglass Shining a Light on 3D Cloud Collaboration”.

Relying on cloud technology the article explains how Sunglass helps those in the architecture and engineering industries reliant on CAD:

“With Sunglass, users share 3D files as easily as dragging and dropping a model in any file format on to something called the Sunglass Stage…Once the models are on the Stage, the social design aspect takes over. Collaborators can simultaneously edit 3D models and give real-time feedback through a chat tool (a sort of instant messaging function) or by making a call through voice chat. The Stage also has a sketch tool for marking changes. To facilitate the sharing aspect of collaboration, Sunglass Player transforms hefty 3D models into links that can be shared anywhere on the Web — much like sending someone a link to a YouTube video.”

Innovators in the field of PLM, like Sunglass, are a welcome breath of fresh air.  Their keen understanding of the relationship between social networking and collaboration and their wise observations of how engineering design collaboration is akin to gaming make them a company to watch.  Hopefully, other companies will take a note on Sunglass’s reception in the PLM marketplace along with other popular companies, like Inforbix, who also profit off of the notion of making sharing easier.

Catherine Lamsfuss, June 18, 2012

Predictive Coding Wins Major Case

June 18, 2012

We’ve heard before how data analysis will change how we view and use information, but it will have a huge impact on the legal system. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the following headline, “Pittsburgh Lawyer Wins Landmark Case Involving Use of Predictive Coding In Discovery Process.” Thomas Gricks III, a partner at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, filed to have predictive coding useable in circuit court for ten suits his firm represented. Gricks had more than 2 million documents to sift through and he used predictive coding to characterize the files, so he would only have to review a smaller portion. His strategy worked and has set a precedent for the legal system.

Here’s a prediction for the future:

“Rather than keyword searching of documents, predictive coding uses analytic searching that looks for concepts, said Peter Mansmann, chief executive of Precise Inc., a Downtown-based firm that provides trial consulting, e-discovery and document retention services. ‘It’s kind of new to the legal industry, and though it’s statistically shown to be accurate, people are afraid to use it because they’re not sure if it’s admissible in court,” Mr. Mansmann said. ‘The importance of this case is that now you have a judge who said, ‘Yes. I’m going to accept this as a reasonable approach to handling discovery. It will open the door for this to become a more accepted method. And it’s a huge cost savings. Typically, attorney review is the most expensive part of the process.’ ”

Had Gricks not used predictive coding, he would still have several interns and paralegals sifting through two million documents to find evidence for his clients. He would have had to pay and train those people, but predictive coding takes out man-hours and lowers litigation costs. Content Analyst offers predictive coding technology and solutions as one of the many services it offers their clients. The Content Analyst technology is available for licensing. Worth a look.

Whitney Grace, June 18, 2012

Sponsored by Content Analyst

ArnoldIT Starts Free Information Service. Honk!

June 18, 2012

January was a cruel month. Now it is June and the ice has melted and the grass is green for a short time. At the ArnoldIT editorial meeting on June 14, 2012, the bright but feisty team suggested that we should try something new with our flow of more than 800 stories a month. So starting today (June 18, 2012) we are starting a test of Honk, an opt in, free restricted distribution newsletter. Key point: Free. Another key point: A test.

What will the opt in ArnoldIT newsletter contain?

We will be sending out one original and quite opinionated story plus links to six or seven supporting or complementary stories each week. Today’s test issue take a hard look at predictive methods for search and content processing. Instead of dancing around a company’s misstep, the content in the registration-required newsletter names the company. We hope that each newsletter provides the equivalent of a page in a college notebook about a specific topic.

If the feedback about the restricted distribution newsletter is positive, we want to expand the content coverage, run some ads, and use the newsletter for inclusions; that is, special content tailored to our opt in readers.

jnj logo June 11 200x600 copy copy

The logo for the free, weekly opt in newsletter from Stephen E Arnold 

To get the free newsletter off the ground, here’s the deal. Write thehonk@yandex.com. Just tell us that you want to receive the email newsletter. You will start getting it each Monday. You can opt out at any time. As a shameless inducement, anyone who signs up in the next week will receive a free copy of The New Landscape of Enterprise Search. Info about the monograph is here. The book was published in 2011 by Pandia in Norway which has shifted its business from information toward more exciting venues. Therefore, the rights are mine, and you can get a free monograph in exchange for your request to receive our new newsletter.

Just so you know what ideas the team generated are, let me highlight a few of the suggestions:

  1. We build our own email list. We have worked on building a search, content processing, and analytics mailing list for two publishers and several clients in the last four years. None of those outfits is still in business and we don’t have the names we acquired.
  2. We want to experiment with different types of content, including sponsored content. (I am not sure how this will work, but there are 20 ArnoldIT goslings who want to experiment.)
  3. We get requests to advertise on Beyond Search, but we have finite space. We will try to put some ads in the newsletter. Some will be gratis; others will we hope paid for by some wise advertiser.
  4. The newsletter may be killed because no one cares. My team and I are okay with that outcome.

We have assigned one of our content specialists to the project. Her name is Jennifer Shockley, and she will be monitoring the email at thehonk@yandex.com along with Don Anderson, the engineer who is fiddling with the email publishing systems we are testing.

The original content in the newsletter is copyrighted and may not be reused without written permission. The content on my Web site and the blogs have different terms of use.

Stephen E Arnold, June 18, 2012

Facebook Adds Customized User Controls. Who Has Time?

June 17, 2012

Facebook has seen quite a bit of limelight this month. Their IPO has garnered much media attention. Perhaps this is why their newest feature had a quiet introduction. “Facebook Tweaks Notifications to Help You Silence Annoying Applications, Updates” describes the new controls users have over the flow of updates into the notification box.

When a user sees a new notification, a small “X” icon also appears in the right hand corner of the notification. After they delete the newest notification from that application they will have the chance to click “Turn Off” to stop all notifications for that particular application, event or comment thread.

According to the article:

“This is especially helpful for gaming applications like Farmville that spam updates into the notification feed or updates from events that you didn’t attend, but neglected to decline the invitation. Users that don’t want to contribute to a long string of comments can avoid getting updates about new additions to the conversation. Users that spam groups with pointless updates can be silenced immediately.”

This addition to Facebook settings embedded into the homepage is sure to gain positive comments. In light of Facebook’s IPO especially, perhaps all the company needs is a little lipstick.

Megan Feil, June 17, 2012

Sponsored by PolySpot

The New Constant: Paid Inclusions

June 17, 2012

People bought paper books so why all the complaining about EBooks? The article Advertisements in Books Latest Thing to “Save Publishing” complains of eBook marketing and pricing without considering the past. Advertising and marketing provide a return of investment, and even non-profits have to pay bills.

The article states:

“It’s true, the price of the average eBook is outrageous. The last time I paid the about the same for an eBook as I do for my lunch, when the former required years of effort but the latter is delicious, I just about spit nails. Now that books = content, I look forward to a decline in the already abysmal wages of most authors.”

BookBoon started out as Ventus Publishing in 1988, focusing on publishing education related books for business professionals and students. The company made its leap into eBook in 2005, becoming the first book publishing company in the world to focus 100% on free eBooks. Their funding comes from advertising and marketing, not readers.

The books of the past retained publishing, printing, editing and promotion fees. EBooks’ utilizing advertising for ROI is not irrational. It is simply consistent of what is necessary to succeed in modern business. Anyone ever buy a college guide? Those glowing college reviews may be paid for by the school’s marketing unit. Inclusions are new, marketing is a constant.

Jennifer Shockley, June 17, 2012

 

Is Google Getting Desperate for Revenue? Farewell Objectivity?

June 17, 2012

Search Engine Land recently reported on some changes being made to Google Product Search in the article “Google Product Search to Become Google Shopping, Use Pay-to-Play Model.”

In addition to changing the name to Google Shopping, Google is switching to a new business model where only merchants that pay will be listed in search results. While the search giant claims this will improve user’s search experience by connecting merchants with the right customers, many worry that this is the first step towards the removal of free listings all together.

The article states:

“The forthcoming Google Shopping will operate on what’s been known in the search industry as a paid inclusion model. That’s where companies pay to be listed but payment doesn’t guarantee that they’ll rank well for any particular terms. In particular, Google says advertisers will provide data feeds or create product listings through Google AdWords, in campaigns that are set to run on Google Shopping. It will work very similarly to how Product Listing Ads work now. Merchants won’t bid on particular keywords but rather bid how much they’re willing to pay, if their listings appear and get clicks or produce sales.”

So tell me about objective search results again, Mr. Google. It appears that the search giant’s desperation for revenue is causing it to abandon objectivity.

Jasmine Ashton, June 17, 2012

Sponsored by PolySpot

Data Management Tools Must Be Bilingual In the Age of Structured and Unstructured Data

June 16, 2012

Attivo recently published the article “Communicating Across the Two Worlds of Structured and Unstructured Information, with SQL,” which makes an apt comparison between the Unified Information Access technology and being bilingual. The UIA platform communicates with both structured and unstructured worlds of data in the same way a bilingual person communicates with people speaking two different languages.

Additionally, the UIA platform also has the capabilities to communicate with separate information sources and with other applications including business intelligence solutions, self-service dashboards and analytic systems.

Data analysis is possible today because of the advent of many tools, according to the article:

“From iPhone and iPad apps to spreadsheets, reporting tools, “self-service” dashboards, various analytic systems, right on up to full-blown ad-hoc drag & drop BI tools, we live in an era where everything is analyzed, and the tools we use for that analysis actually contribute to better decisions. One of the keys to the interoperability of this huge ecosystem is a standards-based approach: the broad use of the Structured Query Language (SQL) is the reason the eco-system exists.”

The only downfall is that users must ensure that the tools they are seeking have the capabilities to “speak” to unstructured content in addition to structured. File this article away for reference as an interesting discussion of structured and unstructured data as “two worlds”.

Megan Feil, June 16, 2012

Can Upstarts like Blekko Upend Google?

June 16, 2012

MIT’s Technology Review supplies more cheerleading for Google alternatives in “As Google Tinkers with Search, Upstarts Gain Ground.” The piece discusses the rise of alternative Web engines Blekko and DuckDuckGo, both of which have grown markedly in recent months. Reporter Tom Simonite suspects the boom is a response to recent changes at Google. The launch of Search, plus Your World is one such modification. News that the company will correlate activity across all Googley sites to improve the aim of its ad targeting system is another. The article informs us:

“At about the same time as these controversial changes were implemented, usage of two search startup companies, Blekko and DuckDuckGo, started to climb rapidly, and the two haven’t looked back since.

“The two sites still command only a tiny percentage of online searches, but their recent growth suggests they didn’t receive millions from venture capitalists in vain. Both companies make a point of emphasizing their relatively simple design and a commitment to protecting users’ privacy, values some people claim Google has abandoned with its social efforts.”

Privacy is why I use DuckDuckGo whenever I can, though that engine has its limitations; it crawls the Web very little, relying on data from Yahoo, Wikipedia, and Wolfram Alpha. For many searches, Blekko would seem to be the better choice, since it performs more like a younger Google. (For details on how that crawler works, see this blog post by blekko CTO Greg Lindahl.)

However, our fearless leader Stephen Arnold ran a query on topix.net which uses Blekko, then tried to get current news. He found that the system does not work reliably, providing neither appropriate scaling nor relevance. It would seem that Blekko still has some work to do.

Cynthia Murrell, June 16, 2012

Sponsored by PolySpot

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