Comments on: Where Google Isn’t Good Enough http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/ Wed, 16 May 2012 21:42:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: LinkedIn: HCIR for Fun and Profit http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-9592 LinkedIn: HCIR for Fun and Profit Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:10:39 +0000 http://thenoisychannel.com/?p=65#comment-9592 [...] while that these and similar tasks that are neglected by the information retrieval community and not adequately addressed by Google . For example, while there has been significant research effort in the area of expert finding, [...] [...] while that these and similar tasks that are neglected by the information retrieval community and not adequately addressed by Google . For example, while there has been significant research effort in the area of expert finding, [...]

]]> By: Daniel Tunkelang http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-2342 Daniel Tunkelang Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:19:43 +0000 http://thenoisychannel.com/?p=65#comment-2342 Indeed, it would be nice if all of these software applications had more platform-like qualities that allowed developers to customize them to particular tasks. Google does offer a <a href="http://www.google.com/coop/cse/" rel="nofollow">custom search engine</a> option, but it seems pretty limited to me, and I haven't been impressed by implementation. As far as I can tell, it serves mainly as a free / cheap alternative to building your own site search solution. As for customizing the Microsoft Office suite, I have no idea what's possible, but I wouldn't expect an open API for non-trivial customization. Have any alternative productivity suites offered one? Indeed, it would be nice if all of these software applications had more platform-like qualities that allowed developers to customize them to particular tasks. Google does offer a custom search engine option, but it seems pretty limited to me, and I haven’t been impressed by implementation. As far as I can tell, it serves mainly as a free / cheap alternative to building your own site search solution.

As for customizing the Microsoft Office suite, I have no idea what’s possible, but I wouldn’t expect an open API for non-trivial customization. Have any alternative productivity suites offered one?

]]> By: Gene Golovchinsky http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-2341 Gene Golovchinsky Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:54:14 +0000 http://thenoisychannel.com/?p=65#comment-2341 One challenge for task-oriented or task-situated search is that the one-size-fits all approach (with its economy of scale) doesn't apply as much. Not only do you need to develop a new interface for each task, but also even the kinds of things you index and the ways that you compute matches may be different. Google's strategy here seems similar to Microsoft's with respect to Word and PowerPoint: put all your functionality into one product that is equally (poorly) suitable for everyone rather than trying to design custom tools for smaller markets One challenge for task-oriented or task-situated search is that the one-size-fits all approach (with its economy of scale) doesn’t apply as much. Not only do you need to develop a new interface for each task, but also even the kinds of things you index and the ways that you compute matches may be different.

Google’s strategy here seems similar to Microsoft’s with respect to Word and PowerPoint: put all your functionality into one product that is equally (poorly) suitable for everyone rather than trying to design custom tools for smaller markets

]]> By: Daniel Tunkelang http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-276 Daniel Tunkelang Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:06:00 +0000 http://thenoisychannel.com/?p=65#comment-276 I miss when they used to give <a HREF="http://blogoscoped.com/archive/2007-03-29-n17.html" REL="nofollow">swimming directions</a>. I miss when they used to give swimming directions.

]]> By: Anonymous http://thenoisychannel.com/2008/08/07/where-google-isnt-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-275 Anonymous Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:24:00 +0000 http://thenoisychannel.com/?p=65#comment-275 An amusing 'case study' (of sorts) of trip planning with Google maps:<br/><br/>http://xkcd.com/461/ An amusing ‘case study’ (of sorts) of trip planning with Google maps:

http://xkcd.com/461/

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