Google Altered Search Results?!
April 8, 2015
If you know anything about search results, search engine optimization, and search algorithms, you probably wondered if Google ever changed its search results so they would be favor one search result over another. Google already alters results with Google AdWords, the Right to Forgotten, and removing results if they break rules.
The FTC revealed via The Wall Street Journal that Google has been altering its search results for profit: “Inside The US Antitrust Probe Of Google.” The FTC found that Google was using its monopoly on search to harm Internet users and its rivals. FTC recommended a lawsuit be brought against Google for three of its practices. The FTC voted to end the investigation in 2013, which is strange, but they did so because they had competing recommendations.
Google continues to stand by its own innocence, citing that the case closed two years ago and that people continue to use its services. There is one big thing that the Wall Street Journal points out:
“On one issue—whether Google used anticompetitive tactics for its search engine—the competition staff recommended against a lawsuit, although it said Google’s actions resulted in “significant harm” to rivals. In three other areas, the report found evidence the company used its monopoly behavior to help its own business and hurt its rivals.”
Can this be considered part of their “do not evil” bylaw?
Whitney Grace, April 8, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
AI May Give Edge to Small and Medium Businesses
April 7, 2015
Over at the B2B News Network, writer Rick Delgado shares some observations about the use of data-related AI in small and medium-sized businesses in his piece, “Building Business Intelligence Through Artificial Intelligence.” He asserts that using AI-enhanced data analysis can help such companies compete with the big players. He writes:
“Most smaller companies don’t have experienced IT technicians and data scientists familiar with the language required for proper data analysis. Having an AI feature allows employees to voice questions as they would normally talk, and even allows for simple-to-understand responses, as opposed to overly technical insights. The ability to understand a program is key to its functionality, and AI shortens the learning curve allowing organizations to get to work faster.”
The article observes that AI can help with sales and marketing by, for example, narrowing down leads to the most promising prospects. It can also make supply chains more efficient. Delgado notes that, though existing supply-chain tools are not very adaptable, he believes they will soon automatically adjust for changing factors like transportation costs or commodity prices around the world. The article concludes:
“Any attempt to predict how AI will evolve over the coming years is a fool’s errand, because every new discovery leads to countless possibilities. What we do know is that AI won’t remain restricted to just improving sales and organizational supply chain. Already we see its availability to everyday users with announcements like Microsoft combining AI with Windows. Experts are also exploring other possibilities, like using AI to improve network security, law enforcement and robotics. The important takeaway is that the combination of Big Data and AI will allow for rapid decisions that don’t require constant human oversight, improving both efficiency and productivity.”
Wonderful! We would caution our dear readers to look before they leap, however. To avoid wasting time and money, a company should know just what they need from their software before they go shopping.
Cynthia Murrell, April 7, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Apache Sparking Big Data
April 3, 2015
Apache Spark is an open source cluster computing framework that rivals MapReduce. Venture Beat says that people did not pay that much attention to Apache Spark when it was first invented at University of California’s AMPLAB in 2011. The article, “How An Early Bet On Apache Spark Paid Off Big” reports the big data open source supporters are adopting Apache Spark, because of its superior capabilities.
People with big data plans want systems that process real-time information at a fast pace and they want a whole lot of it done at once. MapReduce can do this, but it was not designed for it. It is all right for batch processing, but it is slow and much to complex to be a viable solution.
“When we saw Spark in action at the AMPLab, it was architecturally everything we hoped it would be: distributed, in-memory data processing speed at scale. We recognized we’d have to fill in holes and make it commercially viable for mainstream analytics use cases that demand fast time-to-insight on hordes of data. By partnering with AMPLab, we dug in, prototyped the solution, and added the second pillar needed for next-generation data analytics, a simple to use front-end application.”
ClearStory Data was built using Apache Spark to access data quickly, deliver key insights, and making the UI very user friendly. People who use Apache Spark want information immediately to be utilized for profit from a variety of multiple sources. Apache Spark might ignite the fire for the next wave of data analytics for big data.
Whitney Grace, April 3, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Microsoft Changes Its Tune on SharePoint Server Update
March 30, 2015
In February, Microsoft announced an unpopular decision to push future SharePoint server product updates through Windows Update. The concern was that the service would automatically install “important” updates, which could pose a threat if no prior testing had been done. However, it appears that Microsoft has heard the frustration and repealed that decision. Redmond Magazine covers the latest in their article, “Microsoft Rescinds Windows Update Policy for SharePoint Server.”
The article quotes Microsoft’s Stefan Gossner:
“In response to a question in his post, Gossner clarified that ‘now the decision was made to only release security fixes through Windows Update.’ In other words, the new policy is now the same as the old one. Microsoft won’t push down product updates through its Windows Update service. The rollback decision may give IT pros some peace of mind as they regain a modicum of control over their production environments.”
Without forced pushed updates, IT pros have the time to test updates before launching them. For organizations that are affected by Microsoft’s policies and decisions, stay tuned to ArnoldIT.com. Stephen E. Arnold a lifelong leader in all things search. His Web site features a devoted SharePoint feed, where the latest tips, tricks, and news is shared. It is a simple way to keep an eye out for the good, bad, and the ugly of SharePoint.
Emily Rae Aldridge, March 30, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Microsoft Delve and PowerBi Make Data User Friendly
March 30, 2015
Microsoft Delve is a new part of the Office 365 package and it is similar to Facebook Graph Search or your Internet browsing history. ChannelWorld posted “Microsoft Rolls Out Delve To Office 365, Previews PowerBi And Skype For Business.” Microsoft will release Delve soon and it comes as demand for relationship-building tools grow in demand. Delve tracks information from Office 365 applications such as Outlook, PowerPoint, Bing, Word, and more. Microsoft is calling the collected data the Office Graph, showing how people interact with the software.
PowerBI is another rollout from Microsoft:
“Microsoft also announced that it has now rolled out the technical preview of PowerBI for Excel around the world, following its launch a year ago. PowerBI is designed to be a tool for non-techies to access technical data, quickly composing their own sales reports through natural-language queries against robust data sources–typing in a query like “what was our most popular product in Brazil last year?” should deliver a graph or even a map of those results. Incorporating Google Analytics, Microsoft Dynamics Marketing, Acumatica, Zuora and Twilio will come soon, Microsoft said.”
Microsoft will also incorporate Skype in Office 365. Office 365’s is one of Microsoft’s most viable products and people have complained they have not done much with it in recent years. Upgrades like Skype, Delve, and OfficeBI demonstrate that Microsoft is still invested in making Office 365 a competitive, usable, and reliable product.
Whitney Grace, March 30, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Glimpses of SharePoint 2016 on the Way
March 26, 2015
The tech world is excited for the upcoming SharePoint 2016 release. Curious parties will be glad to hear that sneak peaks will be coming this spring. Read more in the CMS Wire article, “Microsoft Leaks Offer a Glimpse of SharePoint 2016.”
The article lays out some of the details:
“Microsoft has started leaking news about SharePoint 2016 — and they suggest the company plans to showcase an early edition at Ignite, its upcoming all-in-one conference for everyone from senior decision makers, IT pros and “big thinkers” and to enterprise developers and architects. In a just released podcast, Bill Baer, senior product manager for SharePoint, said the company will offer a look at the latest version of SharePoint at the conference, which will be held in Chicago from May 4 through 8.”
Some experts have already weighed in with predictions for SharePoint 2016 features: hybrid search and improved user experience among them. Stephen E. Arnold will also be keeping an eye on the new version, reporting his findings on his dedicated SharePoint feed. He has devoted his career to all things search, including SharePoint, and keeps readers informed on his Web site ArnoldIT.com. Stay tuned for more updates on SharePoint 2016 as it becomes available.
Emily Rae Aldridge, March 26, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
SharePoint’s Evolution of Ease
March 24, 2015
At SharePoint’s beginning, users and managers viewed it as a framework. It is often still referred to as an installation, and many third party vendors do quite well offering add-on options to flesh out the solution. However, due to users’ expectations, SharePoint is shifting its focus to accommodate quick and full implementation without a lengthy build-out. Read more in the CMS Wire article, “From Build It and Go, to Ready to Go with SharePoint.”
The article sums up the transformation:
“We hunger for solutions that can be quickly acquired and implemented, not ones that require building out complex and robust solutions. The world around us is changing fast and it’s exciting to see how productivity tools are beginning to encompass almost every area of our lives. The evolution not only impacts new tools and products, but also the tools we have been using all long. In SharePoint, we can see this in the addition of Experiences and NextGen Portals.”
SharePoint 2016 is on its way and there will be addition information to leak throughout the coming months. Keep an eye on ArnoldIT.com for breaking news and the latest releases. Stephen E. Arnold has made a career out of all things search, including enterprise and SharePoint, and his dedicated SharePoint feed is a great resource for professionals who need to keep up without a huge investment in research time.
Emily Rae Aldridge, March 24, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Accenture Makes a Big Purchase to Chase Government Clients
March 20, 2015
Accenture Federal Services (AFS) is one of the leading companies that provide technology and digital solutions for the US federal government. The parent company Accenture LLP has sought to increase its amount of federal contracts as well a products and services, so the company decided to purchase Agilex Technologies, Inc says Big News Network in “Accenture Unit To Agilex Technologies.”
” ‘Acquiring Agilex will help AFS further solidify our position as an innovative leader in the federal market. Combining our digital capabilities and agile methods will accelerate our ability to help clients harness the power of emerging digital technologies and rapid, predictable systems deployment for the federal government’s most complex challenges,’ said David Moskovitz, Accenture Federal Services chief executive.”
AFS plans to use Agilex’s technology to improve its own analytics, cloud, and mobile technology for federal organizations. Agilex, like its new owner, has worked with every cabinet-level department and federal agencies in defense, intelligence, public safety, civilian and military health organizations.
AFS will have more to offer its federal clients, but it does beg the question if it will lead to a monopoly on government contracts or increase the competition?
Whitney Grace, March 20, 2015
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Vilocity 2.0 Released by Nuwave
March 17, 2015
The article on Virtual Strategy Magazine titled NuWave Enhances their Vilocity Analytic Framework with Release of Vilocity 2.0 Update promotes the upgraded framework as a mixture of Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition and Oracle Endeca Information Discovery. The ability to interface across both of these tools as well as include components from both in a single dashboard makes this a very useful program, with capabilities such as exporting to Microsoft to create slideshows, pre-filter and the ability to choose sections of a page and print across both frameworks. The article explains,
“The voices of our Vilocity customers were vital in the Vilocity 2.0 release and we value their input,” says Rob Castle, NuWave’s Chief Technology Officer… The most notable Vilocity deployment NuWave has done is for the U.S. Army EMDS Program. From deployment and through continuous support NuWave has worked closely with this client to communicate issues and identify tools that could improve Vilocity. The Vilocity 2.0 release is a culmination of NuWave’s desire for their clients to be successful.”
It looks like they have found a way to make Endeca useful. Users of the Vilocity Analytic framework will be able to find answers to the right questions as well as make new discoveries. The consistent look and feel of both systems should aid users in getting used to them, and making the most of their new platform.
Chelsea Kerwin, March 17, 2014
Stephen E Arnold, Publisher of CyberOSINT at www.xenky.com
Looker Tops $47 Million in Funding
March 12, 2015
Business intelligence, a close cousin to cyber intelligence, continues to capture venture funding attention. “BI Startup Looker Notches Up $30M Injection for Expansion” reports that Looker has more than 250 customers up from 40 in 2013. According to the write up:
The web-based Looker platform, mainly deployed in the cloud, uses proprietary SQL-based modeling language LookML and allows data analysts to give business users the ability to explore large data stores themselves instead of depending on standard reports.
The article includes this article:
“Most business intelligence is about, ‘Hey, data guy give me this set of data so that I can get an answer’. What Looker is doing is giving those data people tools they want to use – code-based tools, GitHub-integrated, all that kind of stuff – so that they can curate experiences for the business users, much like the early web developers and web masters were doing,” he [Frank Bien, CEO] said.
The service includes collaboration functions, data fusion, and an easy-to-use interface. More information about Looker is available at www.looker.com.
Stephen E Arnold, March 12, 2015
-
- Subscribe to Beyond Search
Feature archive
News archive
-
