Has Search Evolved or Is It Spinning in Circles?
February 28, 2019
We have long been frustrated that search technology has changed into “we will tell you what you need to know.” Search is asking. Providing answers based on behavior is manipulation or a digital version of “mother knows best.”
Smart software or “AI” technology may fundamentally change how we find information online. Forbes asks, “Might AI Spell the Death of Search?” Writer Michael Ashley observes:
“‘This is the first time since 1994 when the search paradigm has changed,’ says David Seuss, CEO of Northern Light, a Boston-based strategic research portal provider I consult with that offers a cloud-based SaaS to global enterprises. ‘In 1994, you went to a search box, filled in a query, hit the search button, and received a list of documents. You manually reviewed these, picking the most relevant item to download. Fast forward to 2019 and it’s still the same thing. Find me one other part of the tech landscape that has not changed since the ’90s, whether it be broadband, wireless, mobile cloud computing, artificial intelligence—everything has changed. Everything except search.’”
The former consultant is doing consultant type thinking. There is a problem, and the consultant can ride to the rescue. A digital Lone Ranger can kill the useless system outputs. Well, that’s the story line.
Seuss claims it is Millennials that are pushing for change. Older users were just so happy to search from their desks instead of in the library stacks, he posits, that most of them remain satisfied with 90s-style online search.
The younger generation, though, find manually reviewing search results inefficient, and they recognize that a lot of good information tends to get buried later in the search results—especially as paid listings claim the top spots. Ashley writes:
“With the help of A.I., tasks once relegated to flesh and blood researchers can be now accomplished by computers. Drawing on the latter’s pattern-forming and predictive abilities, it can observe users’ actions, discerning their interests based on what they download, share, comment on or bookmark. Informed by this knowledge, an A.I. can proactively—and without manual prompting—recommend relevant content to users. Disrupting the traditional search model to its page ranking core, content can seek out the user instead of the other way around.”
Not surprisingly, the piece cites Northern Light’s platform as an example of the new, AI-powered possibilities: it quickly examines documents relevant to a query and presents a summary of pertinent information. The author ponders a time, close at hand, when the information we need finds us when we need it.
That sounds good, but I wonder—how can one be sure the algorithms are choosing wisely? What’s the old adage about consultants? Keep your hand on your wallet?
Cynthia Murrell, February 28, 2019
Free Web Search and Objective Results
February 8, 2019
I spotted a story from the Moscow Times called “Google Began Censoring Search Results in Russia, Reports Say.” I read:
Google began complying with Russian requirements and has deleted around 70 percent of the websites blacklisted by authorities, an unnamed Google employee told Russia’s Vedomosti business daily Wednesday. An unnamed Roskomnadzor source reportedly confirmed the information to the paper. On Thursday, a Roskomnadzor spokesman told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that the regulator had established a “constructive dialogue” with Google over filtering content.
Let’s assume the report is accurate.
Is this the model for filtering content in online indexes which Google developed to comply with different countries’ laws and regulations?
If the Russian regulatory authority is “fully satisfied”, the Google system appears to be working.
Several questions crossed my mind; to wit:
- Has Google used this system to filter content in other countries; for example, the US, Brazil, or Iran?
- Does the system work with acceptable reliability? Some potentially objectionable can be located via a Google image query to cite one example?
- What is the economic payoff of Google find a solution to its pre-filtering disputes with Russia?
Interesting, particularly when one asks the question, “Am I getting accurate information when running a query on Google, regardless of the country in which the query appears to have been launched?”
If search results are shaped, what does one do to locate potentially useful information? One answer, I suppose, is to pay for commercial online access. Another may be to assume that what’s online IS the correct data set? One could ask those in one’s social network, but that too may be filtered.
But free services are free. Free services may have other characteristics as well. What does “free” mean? Hmmm.
Stephen E Arnold, February 8, 2019
Google Search and ATT Exposed Cable Report
February 6, 2019
Update at 320 US Eastern time:
I stopped an ATT repair truck (not a subcontractor). I reported the open box managing voice and data. The ATT employee told me, “The company doesn’t care. I can’t call it in. Even if I see a downed cable, management does not want to know. The new ATT.” Interesting insight into a company which advertises “moments together.” More like no moments whatsoever.
Original Story:
Come across an exposed cable or exposed cables? Run a Google query for ATT cable down and one gets the first result: 800 288 2020. Like this:
Now the first hit means relevance, or that’s my assumption. Dial the number and the automated system only responds if one is an ATT customer who has an account number. What happens if a child fiddles with the exposed cable or gear? Let’s think about the risks to the youngster. What about the risks to actual ATT wireless, DirecTV, or phone / data services?
Nice work Google. A useless phone number. Nicer work ATT. Putting children and users at risk. (Please, don’t call me and tell me that someone somewhere is sorry. I don’t believe those sophistries.) We can make moments together in another way.
Stephen E Arnold, February 6, 2019
The Job Requirements Of A Dark Web Hunter
February 5, 2019
Batman is one of the best superheroes ever created. Batman’s gimmick is that he is a master of criminal activity, except he does not use his powers for evil, but for good. If Batman wanted to he could be the kingpin of crime, but he would rather save Gotham and innocent lives. Batman is a fictional superhero, but there are real world equivalents. One type of real world Batman are ethical hackers, i.e. IT experts who use their powers for good. What does it take to be an IT Batman, though? We picked up a Verizon job posting that lists the requirements for a: “Dark Web-OSINT Investigative Research Consultant.”
Verizon is a leading North American mobile phone and Internet provider and they have a team dedicated to tracking and preventing threats to their network, customers, and sensitive data. The job posting is for an opening on the Verizon Threat Response Advisory Center Intelligence Team, specifically for an expert in the surface, deep, and Dark Web. The Dark Web consultant will support Verizon’s Threat Intelligence Platform Service, the Rapid Response Retainer, and will provide threat intelligence for the company at large.
Moving further into the posting it reads like a “superhero want ad”:
“In order to proactively detect and identify such activity or investigate on-going attacks from foreign adversaries and cyber criminals, VTRAC requires a seasoned Surface, Deep, and Dark Web Investigative Research Consultant (Darkweb Hunter) that can conduct in-depth and investigative research, identification, and detection of adversarial attempts to degrade and disrupt their landscape, supply chains, physical infrastructure, personnel, and ecosystem.
In order to identify and detect such activity, VTRAC requires a seasoned Surface, Deep, and Dark Web Investigative Research Consultant who has in-depth physical and cyber tradecraft methodology and Tactics, Technics and Procedures (TTP) knowledge of foreign intelligence services, state-sponsors of terrorism, U.S. and international criminal organizations, and hacktivists.”
The job tasks include open source intelligence (OSINT) investigative research, intelligence that protects the company’s infrastructure, security intelligence, report analysis, and consultation. Interested personnel need at least a bachelor’s degree or four or more years of experience, OSINT experience, knowledgeable in cyber threats and deep and Dark Web. Applicants will rise to the top of the pile if they have a master’s degree, counterintelligence experience, are an ethical hacker, and are familiar with CISSP.
With all this knowledge, the Dark Web consultant could probably become Batman with the right technology, tools, and a giant robot to take over the physical tasks. As for the bottomless fortune part, maybe the Dark Web consultant could be a Robin Hood-steal the money from the bad guys and use it for good.
Whitney Grace, February 5, 2019
Palantir Revenue: Close to $1 Billion
January 18, 2019
I read “Palantir Posted Nearly $1 Billion in 2018 Sales, Executive Says.” The write up states:
Palantir Technologies Inc., the data analytics startup co-founded by Peter Thiel, generated almost $1 billion in revenue last year, an executive said in a French television interview.
Half of that revenue came from commercial clients. The other half came from non commercial clients like government agencies and non governmental organizations.
The company’s new Foundry product contributed to a boost in revenue, which had been forecast to be $750 million.
How close to $1 billion is Palantir? It seems that Palantir is closer to $800 million in revenue which is going to be okay for financial horse shoes.
How long has it taken Palantir to reach the $800 million figure, assuming that it is accurate?
Palantir was founded in 2003. That’s close to 15 years. How long did it take Autonomy to get close to $800 million in revenue? About 14 years.
What’s Palantir’s secret sauce? Its proprietary systems and methods. What was Autonomy’s secret sauce? Its secret neuro dynamics system.
Interesting. Palantir and Autonomy share other similarities as well.
The trajectory of Palantir’s initial public offering will be an event for investors who have injected about $2 billion in the firm.
Few search centric, content processing, analytics companies have achieved this type of revenue.
Like me, stakeholders in Palantir will be anticipating a pay day. Once the dust settles, I will get more information about sustainable revenue and other tidbits about the company. Perhaps other parallels with Autonomy will become evident.
Stephen E Arnold, January 18, 2019
Search Wars: The Open Source Front
January 13, 2019
Last year I pointed out that enterprise search and Web search were for me dead ends. There have been some howls from LinkedIn enterprise search members who want the good, old days to return.
Well, maybe enterprise search can cook up another run at off Broadway fame. To recap, if one wants search, one uses Lucene/Solr. Sure, there are options, but Google style wizards are needed to get these puppies to behave.
I learned that Toshi search aims to challenge Elasticsearch, Shay Banon’s personal Act II in the search tragedies which were packing them in in the early 2000s. Ah, how “fast” time gains its “autonomy.” Few “inquire” about the mechanisms of overpromising and then under-delivering. We could ask the oracle of “Delphis” I suppose. (Not the god, the super hyped search engine from innovators in Canada, one of the most free country in the world.
If you want to know more about Toshi, your first stop should be the Toshi github page at this link. Download the give it a whirl.
Is Elastic worried? Nope, incumbent leaders ignore challengers. Then the Harvard MBA wonks point out the flaws of this type of Henry James’s “a certain blindness.”
Stephen E Arnold, January 13, 2019
Intelligenx Features Threat Intelligence Services
December 28, 2018
We have once before noted a tendency for Intelligenx to mold itself to the marketplace. The directory search publisher that once declared its mission was “to change the way the world finds information” now bills itself as a threat intelligence firm, with a wide roster of security-related services and a selection of related white papers. Interesting pivot. The write-up on their home page emphasizes:
“Intelligenx enables you to regain control of information security with a variety of solutions that provide adaptable fast environments. We take you a step further on Security and one step ahead of the threats. Intelligenx aggregates all information security data across systems, employees and social markers to provide a single integrated view of your safety. Companies and Government agencies have been suffering from attacks by a variety of groups and technologies around the world. After 2 decades of providing talented teams and solutions to the market, it became evident that the industry needed a decentralized and secure solution to fill the gap. For that reason, Intelligenx set out to identify and alert our clients of threats using Analytics as our basic approach. We generate adaptive and self-evolving platforms using cutting-edge concepts, powered by a constantly growing interdisciplinary work team.”
This is indeed an interesting direction for the publishing industry. As for the Clay platform, Weissman suspects this timing may be an effort to make its parent company, New York Media, LLC, look tasty to potential buyers. The company is reported to have already fielded a few offers.
Perhaps it is just this sort of adaptability that has allowed the company to survive since its founding in 1996. Intelligenx is based in Herndon, Virginia.
Cynthia Murrell, December 28, 2018
Quote to Note: Palantir Flaw
December 24, 2018
I read “Koverse Co-Founders Tap NSA Expertise to Build a Platform to Solve Unsolvable Tech Challenges.” Koverse is a big data company, based in Seattle. The firm’s engineers use the Apache Accumulo data management system. (Accumulo shares some DNA with the Google Bigtable data management system which is old enough to vote.)
Koverse’s competition includes Silicon Valley’s Palantir Technologies, a company worth billions that was started by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. Matsuo downplayed Palantir’s hype. “They have gaping holes in their product that we are starting to exploit,” he said.
That is an interesting comment about Palantir Technologies, a company which has captured a number of commercial and government customers. With an initial public offering rumored, Palantir may find the observations a bit negative.
The company offers its Precision search engine. The write up points out that Koverse has “unparalleled” scalability and security.
For more information about the NSA infused Koverse, navigate to www.koverse.com.
Stephen E Arnold, December 24, 2018
Elastic App Search Engine: Support for 13 Languages
December 23, 2018
The scorched earth of the old empire of enterprise search will no longer support crops. But the open source combine Elastic (creator of open source Elasticsearch) has found fields to harvest.
I learned from Elastic’s user success management (no, I don’t know what that means) that Elastic’s App Search engine offers English, Spanish, German, and 10 other languages.
You can learn more at this link. The write up includes the phrase “App Searchery.” I guess the winner of the search wars is entitled to reverse engineer language to make its seeds its own.
Stephen E Arnold, December 23, 2018
Microsoft Cortana and Search: About Face, Go in Circles, At Ease
December 16, 2018
Tom’s Hardware reports that Microsoft may be divorcing the odd couple, Cortana and search. “Microsoft May Split Cortana From Search in Windows 10” reports the supposed move this way:
Some Insiders testing the new build observe that Search and Cortana actions, once intertwined to enable search with voice activation, are now separated on the taskbar. This is being interpreted as a signal away from Cortana as an integral part of Windows 10.
Here in Harrod’s Creek, we type to our computers. When we ride in our mule drawn wagon to go to the big city, we don’t talk to our mobile phone. We text and scan headlines.
Is it possible that Microsoft has realized that voice as the interface of the future may be going in different directions. Can Cortana say, “Alexa, what’s Microsoft doing?”
Stephen E Arnold, December 16, 2018
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