On Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:37:08 +1100, timeless <timel...@gmail.com> wrote:

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 3:49 AM, Charles McCathieNevile <cha...@opera.com> wrote:
No, I don't think so. Google searches based on analysis of the open web are *not* generally more reliable than faceted searches over a reliable dataset, and in some instances are less reliable.

dunno. i use google to search apple, msdn, and a number of other
technical resources because the actual technical resource search
engines are unusable/useless.

Sure. That's wonderful that Google are so good (or sad that the people who make the information you rely on are so useless).

i also use gmail (which i presume shares some intelligence with
google) to manage access to bug databases, because it's faster/smarter
than the actual database search engine..

And I use my Opera's filters to search for certain things because they are far more efficient than the full-text search I also use. It depends on the use cases.

My point is not that Google is bad. It is that there are all kinds of search where it is not the best. One set are those which reliy on faceted information and on well-developed metadata. I don't know what searches you do, but I know that some databases I search are dreadfully maintained and free-text is the only sensible approach, while others are well-designed and I can get better results from a tool designed for the job I am trying to do.

Anecdotal evidence that demonstrates there is a use case for Google is something we probably don't need. I think that we are all convinced that Ian's employer is important - not least because it kindly pays Ian for his work. I think the question is to establish what cases doesn't Google serve. (Well, and the rest of the search engine market, who I believe are the majority of searches performed globally even on the public internet). And my further question to Ian is what are the criteria for deciding whether a case is sufficient.

cheers

Chaals

--
Charles McCathieNevile  Opera Software, Standards Group
    je parle français -- hablo español -- jeg lærer norsk
http://my.opera.com/chaals       Try Opera: http://www.opera.com

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