Google in China: Countries Are Not Getting with the Program
December 29, 2014
Years ago, I pointed out that companies telling countries what to do might not be the path to a bright future in some circumstances. Countries have police, military, agencies, and rules. When an outsider suggests that the approach a country is taking is against the interests of a particular company, some of those in power have long memories.
I read “China’s Great Firewall Attacks Google Once Again, Blocks Any Form of Access to Gmail.” The headline is a bit misleading, probably in a quest to get lots of Google juice.
Firewalls do not attack. Firewalls are configured by people or other systems for a purpose. In this case, if the story is accurate, some human wants to prevent those within China’s datasphere from accessing Gmail. I am not sure this configuration is an “attack.” But with cyber warfare allegations flying around, some online publications just go with the semantic flow.
The write up asserts, one assumes correctly:
Gmail users in China are now finding that Google’s email service is totally inaccessible in the country. While Gmail’s website has been blocked in China since June, along with every other Google service, it had remained usable via IMAP/SMAP/POP in third-party email apps such as Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail. However, this newest crackdown seems to have shut that loophole, with Gmail’s IMAP, SMAP, and POP servers now fully blocked in China.
How does Google mend fences with China? One step forward on this long journey might be to take a look at what some companies are doing to tap into what seems to be a hefty market. Google is good at emulation, but in the case of China, criticism directed at Chinese authorities might be difficult to remove from the Chinese authorities’ index.
Google’s zippy approach to generating ad revenue generates lots of money. Money is often equated with influence in some countries. In China, there may be other more important factors in play.
For 2015, Google has some thinking to do if it wants to keep the China market in the Google tent or at least near the Google tent. On the other hand, too much dependence on China can lead to the YUM Brands problems. Once the money begins to flow, China’s consumer market can shift. Google has a need for ad revenue. What will Google do to pipe China cash into the Googleplex?
Good question, but it should have been asked a decade ago. In my experience, countries don’t change. I have a few examples at hand, but I won’t trot those out. Any TV news program provides ample illustrations of the disconnect between the way things are assumed to be and the way things are in nation states.
When I want to search information in China, you may need to seek alternatives to the Google.
Stephen E Arnold, December 29, 2014
Searchblox Announces New Visualization Method for Search Results
December 29, 2014
The brief article on Searchblox titled A Visualization Is Worth a Thousand Search Results relates the addition of visualization to the Elasticsearch-based system, Searchblox. Searchblox is an open source enterprise content search engine founded in 2003. Its customers range over 25 countries and include Harley Davidson, Capital One Investments, Kellog, and the US Department of Justice, to name just a few. The article discusses the latest advancement of visualization with a note on how to use the new plugin and how it works. The article states,
“Create a visualization from your search results using our new AngularJS database plugin and discover unique insights from your data. The AngularJS plugin integrated the raw/d3js javacsript library to create visualizations on the fly for your analysis, content marketing and infographic needs. After you setup your collections, simply install the plugin and configure the required filters and database columns to display.
Once the data grid is configured you can see the search results in a grid format.”
The article stipulates that the plugin is best suited for data from csv files and databases. The ability to see your results as a graphic rather than a list is certainly promising, especially for people who are visual learners. There are several nifty chart options available, for all of which the user is able to state the fields for their data.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 29, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
MarkLogic and Smartlogic Join Forces, Will Sales Follow?
December 29, 2014
The article titled MarkLogic Recognizes Smartlogic with Partner Excellence Award on Smartlogic reveals the work the two companies are doing together. Jeremy Bentley, CEO of Smartlogic, suggests in the article that while MarkLogic contributes data management, Smartlogic offers superior content analysis. The combination of these inputs is good for the clients in terms of better, more informed decisions, and the formation of new revenue streams. The article states,
“These organizations are bringing the power of the Semantic Web in-house, while freeing themselves of the restrictions of relational databases and the costs of implementing new schemas. They are securing competitive advantage by automating content intensive manual processes, getting to market quickly with new products, finding insights into the business, unearthing archived knowledge, and building applications more quickly – all by accessing different types of information spread across the organization in different formats and disparate repositories with one query.”
In sum, let there be synergies! The question on the minds of both organizations (and their clients) must be, will sales follow? This much remains to be seen. But with the two companies integrating their product plans, it is assumed that efficiency and flexibility will be improved, leading to an better ability to meet the needs of modern businesses.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 29, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
How to Handle the Ever-Changing Landscape of eDiscovery
December 26, 2014
The article titled Five eDiscovery Lessons from Top Firms That Lawyers Can Implement Now on Above The Law offers advice culled from the strategies of successful firms. Several of the tips are simple enough, that lawyers should focus their goals and research and remember that in spite of the amount of information out there, cases are typically still “won and lost with a handful of witnesses and a few dozen documents.” The article also warns against overhyping predictive coding, as well as being overly cautious about judicial approval of technology. Perhaps the most interesting advice is item #5, which suggests flexibility and creativity in the most innovative firms,
“(They may not be the firms you think…).These firms are willing to accept and even embrace the reality that discovery is a messy process and knowledge of the case is constantly evolving. The firms that are able to get through it the best are doing so by building flexible workflows that can adapt to changes in the understanding of the case. They are willing to experiment with search technologies and processes to find the key information in their data.”
Ultimately the article claims that it is grappling with the constant evolution of eDiscovery technology that will set certain lawyers and their firms apart.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 26, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
WikiSummarizer Summarizes Wikipedia Articles in Visual Knowledge Map
December 26, 2014
The interesting tool called WikiSummarizer presents a summary of Wikipedia articles, particularly useful for students and consultants. Rather than reading the full text of a Wikipedia article (which is, yes, already a condensed text) you can now search for summarized article to get the headlines of a given subject. The FAQ’s for WikiSummarizer explain,
“WikiSummarizer automatically summarizes the Wikipedia articles. The program identifies the most important keywords and ranks them by relevancy. For each keyword the most significant sentences in the original text are presented to the reader. You instantly get the headlines with the most important sentences and keywords. The blending of visualization with summarization, knowledge browsing, mind mapping provides you with a wide range of means to explore relevant content. At a glance, without much reading, you immediately spot the key information chunks.”
Perhaps someday soon, we will be able to read nothing at all and know… the “chunks.” For example, when you search the keyword Hamlet, (the play) what Wikipedia decides to promote as the most relevant information is when Shakespeare wrote it and what the story was based on. This is followed by several blurbs summarizing the play itself and then a brief description of the critical reception among Romantics, providing what reads as a Sparknote of a Sparknote. WikiSummarizer offers visual summary maps, visual trees, and word clouds connected to the Wikipedia Knowledge base.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 26, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
SAP Hana Search 2014
December 25, 2014
Years ago I wrote an analysis of TREX. At the time, SAP search asserted a wide range of functionality. I found the system interesting, but primarily of use to die hard SAP licensees. SAP was and still is focused on structured data. The wild and crazy heterogeneous information generated by social media, intercept systems, geo-centric gizmos, and humans blasting terabytes of digital images cheek by jowl with satellite imagery is not the playground of the SAP technology.
If you want to get a sense of what SAP is delivering, check out “SAP Hana’s Built-In Search Engine.” My take on the explanation is that it is quite similar to what Fast Search & Transfer proposed for the pre-sale changes to ESP. The built-in system is not one thing. The SAP explainer points out:
A standalone “engine” is not enough, however. That’s why SAP HANA also includes the Info Access “InA” toolkit for HTML5. The InA toolkit is a set of HTML5 templates and UI controls which you can use to configure a modern, highly interactive UI running in a browser. No code – just configuration.
To make matters slightly more confusing, I read “Google Like Enterprise Search Powered by SAP Hana.” I am not sure what “Google like” means. Google provides its ageing and expensive Google Search Appliance. But like Google Earth, I am not sure how long the GSA will remain on the Google product punch list. Futhermore, the GSA is a bit of a time capsule. Its features and functions have not kept pace with next generation information access technologies. Google invested in Recorded Future a couple of years ago and as far as I know, none of the high value Recorded Future functions are part of the GSA. Google also delivers its Web indexing service. Does Google like refer to the GSA, Google’s cloud indexing of Web sites, or the forward looking Recorded Future technology?
The Google angle seems to relate to Fiori search. Based on the screenshots, it appears that Fiori presents SAP’s structured data in a report format. Years ago we used a product called Monarch to deliver this type of information to a client.
My hypothesis is that SAP wants to generate more buzz about its search technology. The company has moved on from TREX, positioned Hana search as a Fast Search emulation, and created Fiori to generate reports from SAP’s structured data management system.
For now, I will keep SAP in my “maybe next year” folder. For now. I am not sure what SAP information access systems deliver beyond basic keyword search, some clustering, and report outputs. SAP at some point may have to embrace open source search solutions. If SAP has maintained its commitment to open source, perhaps these technologies are open source. I would find that reassuring.
Regardless of what SAP is providing licensees, it is clear that the basic features and functions of next generation information access systems are not part of the present line up of products. Like other IBM-inspired companies, the future is rushing forward with SAP search receding in tomorrow’s rear view mirror. Calling a system “Google like” is not helpful, nor does it suggest that SAP is ware of NGIA systems. Some of SAP’s customers will be licensing these systems in order to move beyond what is a variation of query, scan results, open documents, read documents, and hunt for useful information. Organizations require more sophisticated information access services. The models crafted in the 1990s are, in my opinion, are commoditized. Higher value NGIA operations are the future.
Stephen E Arnold, December 25, 2014
SharePoint Usability Workarounds
December 25, 2014
SharePoint is known as the most widely used enterprise solution, but it is definitely not known as the most friendly to use. CMS Wire substantiates that claim in their latest article, “4 Ways SharePoint Navigation Breaks Usability Best Practices.”
The article begins:
“There’s been a lot of interest lately from business users and SharePoint site owners in SharePoint’s usability (or lack thereof), but the issue doesn’t seem to receive as much attention as other topics. When experts talk about SharePoint, they focus on migration, administration, governance, development, cloud, and mobile. Any mentions of usability take a backseat and are only brought up by usability enthusiasts. It’s time to bring this subject to the forefront.”
The author then goes on to list at least four ways that SharePoint Navigation breaks usability best practices. These may seem like minute points to the outsider, but SharePoint managers will find that they make a great deal of impact on the usability and user satisfaction of their implementation. Stephen E. Arnold also reports similar findings on his Web service, ArnoldIT.com. He has made a career out of all things search and frequently reports on tips and tricks for SharePoint on his dedicated feed. Readers may find it helpful for their continuing education.
Emily Rae Aldridge, December 25, 2014
Academic Methods and Innovation
December 24, 2014
For your holiday celebration of innovation. Navigate to “Does the Peer Review Process Stifle Scientific Innovation?” (Keep in mind that I think in terms of information access, not inventing iPhone cases.) The write up asserts:
A new study suggests the current model may succeed in keeping out the scientific riff-raff, but its maintenance of the status quo comes with a drawback, the study’s authors argue — the regular rejection of cutting-edge work.
Well, is that a surprise? Google gained an advantage by culling decades of academic computing research and then blending it with some special inspiration from GoTo/Overture/Yahoo perspiration.
Google’s academic roots are deep and, like bonsai, aggressively cultivated. Will Google’s penchant for academics undermine its innovation?
My hunch is that Google’s trajectory suggests that the company may be an example of the “stifle” effect. But it is happy holidays when ads keep on selling.
Stephen E Arnold, December 24, 2014
The Big Data Future for Industries and Consumers
December 24, 2014
The article on LinkedIn titled The Big Data Economy: Here’s What Your Must Know discusses the scope of the big data movement. The article begins by dismissing any notions that big data is only a trend before moving on to what that means for consumers and industries. The article states,
“Healthcare, finance, construction, retail, marketing, education, security, logistics – the list of uses that are being found for big data is growing as quickly as the data itself is… There is virtually no human endeavor which can’t be improved with better knowledge of the subject, and big data is all about making sure we know as much as possible about a problem or situation before we take action.”
The article goes on to discuss the ramifications of the ever-growing prevalence of big data. If we take it as a given that everything we do, from grocery shopping to googling, is being taken into some sort of statistical analysis, what does it mean for our privacy? The article is hopeful, though vague, on the future of consumer privacy, suggesting “push back” that will eventually occur. Perhaps it is more likely that, like the frog in the pot of water, when the heat is turned up we simply won’t notice we are being boiled. At the same time, industries have little choice about using big data. Those who do not will be left behind, presumably with the paperback book and the CD player.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 24, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Actuate Merger with OpenText Under Investigation for Breach of Fiduciary Duties
December 24, 2014
An item on PR Newswire titled Lifshitz & Miller Law Firm Announces Investigation of Actuate Corporation, Albany Molecular Research Inc., Conn’s, Inc., Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., and Heritage Financial Group, Inc. offers a brief headline into the legal matter that OpenText finds itself embroiled in. Actuate Corporation is under investigation for possibly failing to seek the best possible value for Actuate’s shareholders before entering an agreement with Opentext. The article states,
“Lifshitz & Miller announces investigation into possible breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with the proposed sale of Actuate Corporation (“BIRT”) to OpenText Corporation in a cash transaction valued at approximately $ $330 million or $6.60 per share. For more information about our investigation, please contact Joshua M. Lifshitz, Esq. by telephone at (516) 493-9780 or by sending an e-mail including your contact information to: info@jlclasslaw.com.”
According to and article on Yahoo Finance titled Investor Alert: Investigation on Behalf of Actuate Corporation Shareholders Announced by Glancy Binkow & Goldberg LLP the mis-management claims facing Actuate’s board stem from the plummet in stock prices. In January 2014 the stock traded at $8.01, but since then have declined around 56%. The merger with OpenText Corporation valued the shares at $6.60.
Chelsea Kerwin, December 24, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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