Will Twitter Lead to US Spring?
August 28, 2012
Any doubts about Internet censorship as the next big thing? Check out TechNewsWorld’s “How Twitter Could Trigger a US Revolution” for an example of tech-related alarmism. The piece starts by explaining why our country is not immune to the sort of turmoil many other countries have been experiencing. Writer Rob Enderle supplies several reasons, which he summarizes with:
“In short, there is a growing number of increasingly heavily armed people [in the US] becoming convinced that their government is catastrophically flawed, and that the system itself — not just the people in it — is the cause. That would appear to be a formula for revolution, and key indicators appear to be drifting in that direction at the moment.”
Okay. . . . Enderle goes on to tie in the Twitter factor. He writes:
“What Twitter does that is unique is that it puts no time between the concept of a news item and what is published. . . .
“This suggests that a revolutionary group, hostile country, or terrorist group could relatively easily manufacture an event that could cause several large-scale riots — and if they controlled enough of the tweets, propagate them into revolution.”
The potential scene he describes involves disgruntled and understaffed law enforcement; rioters who will ignore all accurate but non-Twitter-hosted news stories; and revolutionaries egging each other on with hyperbole-filled tweets. He thinks the scenario unlikely—what a relief!—but says the thought exercise shows that we are vulnerable to Twitter-based upheaval.
Sigh. Enderle has a good point here and there, but the whole write up makes me think back over my history. Prophecies of doom have accompanied every step of our society’s advancement, and most (though not all) have proven to be off the mark. Let us hope that is the case with Enderle’s observations.
Let us also hope that such speculation does not give our lawmakers any restrictive ideas.
Cynthia Murrell, August 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Baidu Employees Caught Deleting Posts
August 28, 2012
Oh, my. Objective information has just taken a new turn on its winding path. TechWorld reports, “Baidu Workers ‘Found to be Deleting Posts for Cash’.” Apparently, the practice of illegally deleting controversial or negative posts for pay is common in China, where Baidu is the dominant Web search engine. Writer Sophie Curtis reports:
“Chinese search giant Baidu has fired four employees after it emerged that they may have accepted bribes to delete posts from its website.
“Three of the former employees have also been arrested for accepting cash to delete forum posts. Baidu’s spokeswoman Betty Tian told BBC News that the sums involved amounted to ‘tens of thousands of yuan’ (thousands of pounds).”
Baidu asserts that they have always taken a firm hand with such behavior, promptly reporting it to authorities. This breech has been discovered less than a year after the search firm pledged to ramp up self-regulation efforts. Baidu, along with 38 other top Chinese IT firms, made that pledge in response to government pressure; China is determined to control the evolution of the Internet within its borders.
Baidu, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Beijing, is by far the largest Chinese-language search engine. It also boasts of hosting the largest blog system in China, Baidu Space. Their name, which literally means “hundreds of times,” comes from a poem written during the Song Dynasty describing the persistent search for the ideal within chaos. An apt name for a Web search engine, I think.
Cynthia Murrell, August 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Library of Congress Vows to Archive All Tweets
August 28, 2012
Andrew Phelps of Nieman Journalism Lab recently reported on a huge undertaking by the Library of Congress in the article “The Plan to Archive Every Tweet in the LIbrary of Congress? Definitely Still Happening.”
According to the article, back in 2010 the Library of Congress announced its plan to preserve every public tweet for future generations. Little did it know at the time, there are 400 million public tweets a day and the number is continuing to grow. However, when Canada.com recently reported that the “LOC is quietly backing out of the commitment”, an LOC spokesperson replied saying that the the project is very much still happening.
Library Spokesperson Jennifer Gavin said:
“The process of how to serve it out to researchers is still being worked out, but we’re getting a lot of closer,” Gavin told me. “I couldn’t give you a date specific of when we’ll be ready to make the announcement…We began receiving the material, portions of it, last year. We got that system down. Now we’re getting it almost daily. And of course, as I think is obvious to anyone who follows Twitter, it has ended up being a very large amount of material.”
Since the project is definitely going underway, the real challenge is how will this unstructured data be organized and made searchable. I’m interested to see what they figure out.
Jasmine Ashton, August 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Google Introduces the Knowledge Graph
August 28, 2012
Jon Mitchell of Read Write Web recently reported on some new developments with the Google search results in the article “How Google Organizes the World: Q&A With Manager of Knowledge Graph.”
In the article, Mitchell interviews Emily Moxley, Google’s lead project manager for the Knowledge Graph, which appears on the right hand side of the page displaying facts and images about the subject of Google queries along with the usual Web results.
When asked how things are added to the Knowledge Graph and if it learns new concepts from users, Moxley replied:
“It’s very actively maintained by Google employees. Metaweb, before, was this repository of entities and facts, and [the company’s employees] were very much using their intuition about what people cared about and what information to go find. Since they’ve been acquired by Google, Google has all these users looking for information, and from that, we’re able to see what things are interesting about the world. Through that, we’re able to grow the Knowledge Graph in an efficient direction.”
I’m glad to hear that Google is going back to what it does best. Focusing on search. Google is indeed wonderful. Now do I get a mouse pad and a free Odwalla juice for mentioning that obvious point?
Jasmine Ashton, August 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Iphelion Offers Email Management Solution
August 28, 2012
Email filing is a very vital tool for most companies and programs that address issues that arise in document management are necessary and appreciated.
StubXploder from Iphelion is one of those programs. The product is designed to address issues seen when archived email stubs are filed within document management systems. Features include intelligent error handling and rollback on individual items, complete server side solution, and customization to any library configuration.
The company’s website asserts about the product:
“Written as a fully server side solution to remove the need for user interaction or client side deployment, StubXploder will restore archived e-mails from Enterprise Vault back into the DMS libraries. This means that business critical e-mails are restored to a single repository (the DMS) while still allowing EV to take the strain off of Exchange by offloading non critical e-mails. The product was designed with the largest deployments in mind so can easily handle a worldwide infrastructure with many libraries and archives or scale right down to single server instances.”
The new version impresses us and we believe those interested in solving email document management issues will also be pleased. Iphelion offers a powerful solution to categorize, retrieve, and maintain email environments.
Andrea Hayden, August 28, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Kona Data Search Bets on Salesforce as Salesforce Swims Against the Current
August 27, 2012
One-size-fits-all search has become a tough sale. Presumably clever enterprise search vendors have embraced wordsmithing in order to boost sales. Examples range from converting a deduplicating technology into big data, shifting an entity extraction program to business analytics, and presenting XML as a “new” content manipulation tool which slices, dices, and chops with ease.
I learned via a random LinkedIn message that a copy called Kona Data Search. I pinged the company, was promised information, and even followed up (a rare action for the addled goose). After some dithering, I checked out the company’s Web site (which created some choking and stumbling for my so-so Chrome browser) and learned:
Kona Search [for Salesforce] is a relevancy-based text search application for Salesforce, with a Search Results page and a pop-up sidebar, or “Search Gadget,” for persistent display. Relevancy is a way of sorting search results based on how well they match the terms in a user’s query. You may be familiar with relevancy from public web search applications like Google search. KonaSearch applies the same principals to Salesforce objects. Also like the web search applications, KonaSearch highlights the words that match in the results so you can see why an object was included. The current release can search text, dates, and numbers for the main Sales Cloud objects. Immediately following this release will be more Salesforce products, Chatter®, and Microsoft Outlook.
Searching for information on Salesforce is okay. There are problems when one has quite a few employees using Salesforce and a super user needs to pinpoint a specific email or contact interaction chain for something like eDiscovery or checking up on a sales professional who has just resigned.
Kona asserts that it delivers such functionality as:
- Auto suggestion
- Field specific search
- Date and number search
- Entity extraction
- Facets
- Nested Boolean
- Phrase detection
- Spelling correction
- Stemming
- Synonym expansion
- Term biasing (weighting)
- Wildcards
The service costs about $240 per user per year.
In short, Kona includes the basics of what might be called traditional enterprise search. Google’s original search appliance intentionally trimmed such functions from its user interface. The assumption was that enterprise users don’t know how to formulate complex queries and are more interested in slamming in a word or two and getting relevant results. We know that neither traditional enterprise search nor the Google approach has hit home runs over the last few years.
What makes Kona interesting is that it is approaching the market with what appears to be an initial focus on Salesforce. (Versions of Kona for other systems is promised, however.) Now Salesforce is an interesting company, but I heard a rumor that Google considered purchased Salesforce seven years ago. But Google passed. Now Salesforce has to fight the likes of Oracle and smaller companies’ iPad apps to stay in the game. Salesforce has the same cost control problem that is gobbling Amazon’s margins.
According to “Salesforce Losses Swell, Despite Rise in Sales,” high flying Salesforce may have sucked some errant geese into its jet engines. The Register said:
Software-as-a-Service pin-up Salesforce.com reported growing losses despite increased sales. The hosted CRM provider reported a loss of $9.82m on a 34 per cent increase in net sales to $73.6m for the three-month period to 31 July.
Then added, “The company’s costs are increasing as it adds more staff to sell to the enterprise, against rivals such as Oracle and SAP.”
Here in Harrod’s Creek, the river dogs say, “Rising water lifts them boats.” What happens when the water level falls? Will Kona be able to float the Salesforce boat or will Salesforce get stuck in the mud and drag down Kona? We are monitoring the revenue flow gauge.
Stephen E Arnold, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
IntelTrax Top Stories August 17 to August 23
August 27, 2012
This week the IntelTrax advanced intelligence blog published some innovative articles regarding the state of analytics solutions and the various industries that they are permeating.
“Analytics Providers on Roll with Online Marketing” discusses how data analytics is slowly but surely breaking into the online marketing industry through partnerships that offer customers online marketing analytics.
The article highlights a recent partnership between Emory Digital and National Analytics:
“The platform includes a daily website audit, competitive position and gap analysis, website analysis, keyword analysis, link analysis, conversion analysis, benchmark tracking and ROI tracking, and project management. The software tracks Key Performance Indicators that go far beyond search engine rankings. It measures brand engagement, pages bringing traffic, page view per visit, new visits, time on site, bounce rate, goal conversions, ecommerce transactions and revenue and lead generation.”
Another industry that is starting to rely as heavily on data mining as rock mining is the field of geology. “Big Data Teams with Geologists to Mine the Earth” discusses how there is a new tool that speeds up the process of data mining and exploration for geologists.
The article details:
“GDD’s Field Data Integrator combines best-of-breed technologies for collecting, managing and analyzing data more rapidly. The end-to-end solution enables geologists to collect samples in shorter time frames, and then quickly analyze large volumes sample data for complex scenarios such as such as project timings, cash flows and profitability with greater sensitivity levels….GDD’s Field Data Integrator automatically synchronizes sample data from various field instruments, GPS, and cameras onto a ‘tough’ tablet using Bluetooth. Geologists enter notes directly onto the tablet using on-screen or wireless keyboards, enabling all data on samples to be collected automatically into a single source. The tablet then automatically synchronizes with a master database running Vectorwise whenever in mobile range, saving geologists time in manual data entry.”
The Financial industry is also being highly impacted by data analytics, according to “Cloud Makes Financial Analysis Easier.” The post discusses a new cloud based data visualization system called Adaptive Discovery. Adaptive Planning, the creator of the new product, claims that it has an intuitive visual interface that will appeal to business managers, allowing them to more easily access, analyze, and explore key financial and operational data.
The article states:
“Adaptive Discovery, the visual discovery application within the Adaptive Planning suite of performance management solutions, allows companies of all sizes to quickly and easily understand and take action upon their companywide data. Business users can easily compile, display and explore data from multiple systems and lines of business with highly visual, interactive dashboards and scorecards. The application presents data in ways that managers can easily grasp, so they are able to make better day-to-day decisions. Adaptive Discovery delivers an exciting new level of capability and interactivity that is far superior to both static data in spreadsheets and the limited reporting options available in existing enterprise applications.”
While Adaptive Discovery is one solution that improves data mining, there are also other affordable data analytics solutions on the market. Digital Reasoning has a long standing reputation of bringing data analytics to a variety of industries, including the financial world.
Jasmine Ashton, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Boost a Public Facing Web Site with a Design to Find
August 27, 2012
When it comes to providing users with a powerful search and getting the most from your content, look to experts in the field. At Fabasoft Mindbreeze, they have developed a suite of solutions that combines the power of search with information pairing, the Cloud, and smartphone and tablet mobility.
It is clear that Cloud hosting is becoming a go to data solution for organizations around the globe. Fabasoft Mindbreeze understands the need for expanded information access the save users valuable time when it comes to search. The same principle holds true for your Web site. Here you can read about the Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite solution:
An attractive website serves as an effective digital business card. Surprise your website visitors with an intuitive search.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite…
* is intuitive and user friendly.
* is instantly ready for use as a Cloud service. It turns your website into a user-friendly knowledge portal for your customers.
* recognizes correlations and links through semantic and dynamic search processes. This delivers pinpoint accurate and precise “finding experiences”.
* is the perfect website search for your company.
No installation, configuration or maintenance required.
We also like Mindbreeze’s impressive portfolio of references and customers. Dr. Manfred Weiss of Computerwelt, Austria has this to say about the InSite solution:
We want stand out from the crowds with a top internet presence. Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite is a part of this strategy. Our readers value the service of a perfect search. Regardless in which of our portals the information is available, Mindbreeze finds what you’re looking for. Since the search function is operated as a Cloud service, we save time and money.
Read more at www.Mindbreeze.com.
Philip West, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
More on Exalead Please
August 27, 2012
On the Q2 Dassault conference call, there was a brief mention of one of our favorite companies, Exalead. Seaking Alpha serves up the conversation in “Dassault Systemes’ CEO Discusses Q2 2012 Results (Afternoon Call)- Earnings Call Transcript.”
We have long been interested in Exalead, and applauded Dassault’s decision purchase the business and invest resources in expanding it, rather than simply licensing its technology. So, how have things been going? When Dessault president and CEO Bernard Charles was asked about any general plans to provide a lifecycle management solution, he noted in part:
“. . . there is one thing we are doing in a completely different way maybe you have heard about it so I want to connect this to that point. We are now providing extremely innovative spare part management systems which are based on completely revolutionary platform using EXALEAD which has proven to provide amazing results that are very different from traditional implementation of spare parts systems potential available or proximities to talk about it. Jay? Next question?”
Wait, next question? But we want to know more! Oh, well. Not much discussion about Exalead, I’m afraid. Perhaps next quarter.
Exalead was founded in 2000 and purchased by engineering powerhouse Dassault in 2010. Exalead’s CloudView platform is uniquely capable of seamlessly integrating structured and unstructured data. We find their approach to be stable, offering platform flexibility, mobile search, and mash-ups. Oh, and their solutions are more affordable than much of the competition.
Cynthia Murrell, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
DataStax Taps Gazzang for Encryption Needs
August 27, 2012
Protecting data in the cloud is the goal of this partnership: Sys-Con Media tells us, “Gazzang and DataStax Partner to Deliver Robust Data Security for Big Data.” Now Gazzang’s zNcrypt encryption and security software is an integrated part of DataStax’ Enterprise Edition. A mighty good idea. Writer David Tishgart reports:
“Within DataStax Enterprise, Gazzang zNcrypt works as a last line of defense for protecting data, by transparently encrypting and securing information as it gets written to disk, ensuring minimal performance lag in the encryption or decryption process. The solution also includes robust key management and process-based access controls that meet compliance regulations and allow users to store their cryptographic keys separate from the encrypted data.”
DataStax build products around three Apache open source components: Cassandra database, Hadoop analytics, and Solr enterprise search. Their enterprise level software ties the three together under one management solution. Prominent customers include Netflix, Disney, and Cisco, but the company also delves into the specialized verticals market.
Operating out of Austin, Texas, Gazzang works to make this whole cloud thing efficient and secure. Their products secure anything, big data or otherwise, that runs on Linux; they also offer monitoring, alerting, and analysis solutions for cloud environments.
Cynthia Murrell, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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