Qwant, Not Quant
January 3, 2015
Remember Pertimm? No problem. I scanned Techmeme yesterday and noted a link to a story about Qwant, another Google killer from France and the publishing wizards at Axil Springer. You might have some trouble locating the service because Techmeme spelled Qwant “correctly” if you live in Silicon Valley:
I covered Qwant in one of my for fee Information Today columns. I won’t recycle that analysis here.
The “news” is that Qwant is going to roll out a child friendly version of its search system. Here’s the interface for Qwant. I wonder how many children can figure out what’s what?
Notice that the blank column contains news about my query “Qwant child friendly.” What do you think about a service that doesn’t present news about itself?
Fascinating. Will French children be thwarted by Qwant’s effort to protect them from adult content? LA schools found out that blocked iPads were a no brainer to convert from school stuff or more thrilling content.
Stephen E Arnold, January 3, 2015
Patent Search Needs to Be Semantic
December 31, 2014
An article published on Innography called “Advanced Patent Search” brings to attention how default search software might miss important search results, especially if one is researching patents. It points pout that some parents are purposefully phrased to cause hide their meaning and relevance to escape under the radar.
Deeper into the article it transforms into a press release highlight Innography’s semantic patent search. It highlights how the software searches through descriptive task over product description, keywords, and patent abstracts. This is not anything too exciting, but this makes the software more innovative:
“Innography provides fast and comprehensive metadata analysis as another method to find related patents. For example, there are several “one-click” analyses from a selected patent – classification analysis, citation mining, invalidation, and infringement – with a user-selected similarity threshold to refine the analyses as desired. The most powerful and complete analyses utilize all three methods – keyword search, semantic search, and metadata analysis – to ensure finding the most relevant patents and intellectual property to analyze further.”
Innography’s patent search serves as an example for how search software needs to compete with comparable products. A simple search is not enough anymore, not in the world of big data. Users demand analytics, insights, infographics, easy of use, and accurate results.
Whitney Grace, December 31, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Drop Everything and Learn These New Tips for Semantic Search
December 31, 2014
IT developers are searching for new ways to manipulate semantic search, but according to Search Engine Journal in “12 Things You Need To Do For Semantic Search” they are all trying to figure out what the user wants. The article offers twelve tips to get back to basics and use semantic search as a tool to drive user adoption.
Some of the tips are quite obvious, such as think like a user, optimize SEO, and harness social media and local resources. Making a Web site stand out, requires taking the obvious tips and using a bit more. The article recommends that it is time to learn more about Google Knowledge Graph and how it applies to your industry. Schema markup is also important, because search engines rely on it for richer results and it develops how users see your site in a search engine.
Here is some advice on future proofing you site:
“Work out how your site can answer questions and provide users with information that doesn’t just read like terms and conditions. Pick the topics, services and niches that apply to your site and start to optimize your site and your content in a way that will benefit users. Users will never stop searching using specific questions, but search engines are actively encouraging them to ask a question or solve a problem so get your services out there by meeting user needs.”
More tips include seeing how results are viewed on search engines other than Google, keeping up with trends, befriending a thesaurus, and being aware that semantic search requires A LOT of work.
Whitney Grace, December 31, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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
Holiday Surprise: HP Gets a Chunk of Coal
December 21, 2014
I read “US Judge Rejects HP Settlement in Autonomy Shareholder Case.” According to the foundation that cranks out “real” journalism:
A federal judge on Friday rejected Hewlett-Packard Co’s (HPQ.N) proposed settlement of shareholder litigation involving the information technology company’s botched acquisition of Autonomy Plc.
HP wanted everything in the Toys R US store; that is, most of what it paid for Autonomy back. Then the grinch spoiled the holiday.
HP will have to find a way to find a way to convert its management expertise into big content processing bucks Cutting the company in half may not be a tactic that effectively deals with its purchasing price, the management street fair, and the jousts with a judge.
What’s next? More legal cartwheels. Fascinating and lucrative for the attorneys involved with the matter. For HP I see the company cementing its position in business school case studies.
Stephen E Arnold, December 21, 2014
New Azure Search Compared to Veteran Solr
December 19, 2014
Wondering how the new search function in Microsoft’s Azure stacks up against open-source search solution Solr? Sys-Con Media gives us a side-by-side comparison in, “Solr vs Azure Search.” It is worth noting that Azure Search is still in beta, so such a comparison might look different down the line. Writer Srinivasan Sundara Rajan sets the stage for his observations:
“The following are the some of the aspects in the usage of Solr in enterprises against that of Azure Search. As the open source vs commercial software is a religious debate, the intent is not aimed at the argument, as the most enterprises define their own IT Policies between the choice of Open Source vs commercial products and same sense will prevail here also, the below notes are meant for understanding the new Azure service in the light of an existing proven search platform.”
Rajan’s chart describes usage of each platform in four areas: installation and setup, schema, loading, and searching. Naturally, each platform has its advantages and disadvantages; see the article for specifics. The write-up summarizes:
“Azure Search tries to match the features of Solr in most aspects, however Solr is a seasoned search engine and Azure Search is in its preview stage, so some small deficiencies may occur in the understanding and proper application of Azure Search. However there is one area where the Azure Search may be a real winner for enterprises, which is ‘Scalability & Availability’…. Azure Search, really makes scalability a much simpler thing.”
As Microsoft continues to develop Azure Search, will it surpass Solr in areas besides scalability? Stay tuned.
Cynthia Murrell, December 19, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
A DeepMind Could Improve Google Search
December 16, 2014
DeepMind was invented by London-based genius Demis Hassabis to teach computers how to master complex tasks. He later taught the machines to play classic videogames, which caught Google’s attention and they bought DeepMind for $650 million. Technology Review looks at how the new technology can improve Google in, “Demis Hassabis, Founder of DeepMind Technologies And Artificial-Intelligence Wunderkind At Google, Wants Machines To Think Like Us.”
The article acts as a brief biography of Hassabis, highlighting his intelligence program. Computers programmed with the software were told to play Atari games, but were not programmed with any of the rules. Through trial and error the computers mastered the games through reinforcement learning.
“Artificial intelligence researchers have been tinkering with reinforcement learning for decades. But until DeepMind’s Atari demo, no one had built a system capable of learning anything nearly as complex as how to play a computer game, says Hassabis. One reason it was possible was a trick borrowed from his favorite area of the brain. Part of the Atari-playing software’s learning process involved replaying its past experiences over and over to try and extract the most accurate hints on what it should do in the future.”
Now called Google DeepMind, the team of seventy-five people work in London to apply the technology to all of Google’s products. While learning how to apply AI to Google, Hassabis also dreams of new ways it can be used for bigger and better projects. Until then they’re still playing Atari games.
Mr. Hassabis, start applying DeepMind to search.
Whitney Grace, December 16, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Debing, Bada Gone: Facebook Search
December 13, 2014
I am not too keen on Facebook. I get odd ball friend requests to our automated Beyond Search account which baffles me. Who wants to be friends with a script.
Nevertheless, I read “Facebook Dumps Microsoft Web Search Results.” The Facebookers have to get control of information access to their content. Note I said “their”, not your content, gentle reader.
The write up, which is a foundation, asserts:
Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has flagged search as one of the company’s key growth initiatives, noting in July that there were more than 1 billion search queries occurring on Facebook every day and hinting that the vast amount of information that users share within Facebook could eventually replace the need to search the Web for answers to certain questions.
Yep, the Googlers at Facebook know there is money in them thar search results.
Debing, bada, gone.
Stephen E Arnold, December 13, 2014
Big Deal for Dassault but Where Is Search?
December 12, 2014
After Dassault Systèms bought Exalead in 2010, we were eager to learn what they would do with one of our favorite search systems. We waited. And waited. Now, as Dassault pursues bigger and better deals around the world, search may have fallen by the wayside. In fact, the company seems to be focused on its 3D technology at the moment. Business Wire reveals, “Dassault Systèms Signs Research Agreement with the Food and Drug Administration for Its ‘Living Heart Project’.” If they must shove search aside, at least they’re working on something that should be good for medicine. The press release states that Dassault:
“… has reached a significant milestone in its project aimed at driving the creation and use of simulated 3D personalized hearts in the treatment and diagnosis of heart diseases and medical device development. Powered by Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s realistic simulation applications, The ‘Living Heart Project’ announced in May of this year, has rapidly moved its first realistic 3D heart simulator into beta test, validated the efficacy of a device and has surpassed 30 contributing member organizations.
“As a key step of this initiative, Dassault Systèmes has signed a five-year collaborative research agreement with the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which will initially target the development of testing paradigms for the insertion, placement and performance of pacemaker leads and other cardiovascular devices used to treat heart disease.”
Dassault’s deal with the FDA is a five-year collaborative research agreement. The team is working closely with a long list of cardiologists, medical device companies, and academic researchers. We applaud programs that promise better medical outcomes, especially for a condition as widespread as heart disease.
Still, we can’t help being a bit disappointed that search seems to be an afterthought, if that, for Dassault. Exalead’s CloudView is a search platform we felt was on the right track. Exalead was launched in 2000 and is based in Paris. Dassault Systèms is located in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France. The company has a history of snapping up other businesses, having acquired 11 companies since its founding in 1981.
Cynthia Murrell, December 12, 2014
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
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