[LINK] Google Inadequacies [Was Re: Tony and ANU]

[Roger Clarke]

[Link thread on how bad Google search is ...]

What's commonly overlooked is that the Google search-service is 
arguably the *worst* that has ever been invented - even from the 
semi-skilled user's perspective (and specialists must be appalled by 
what they see).

The reasons include that:
-   the user-language is appallingly weak and inconsistent
-   its operation is completely opaque (i.e. no, inconsistent and/or
     misleading documentation, and apparently-frequent updates that are
     neither documented nor advised)
-   its results are poorly explained and inconsistent, even over
     minutes let alone days.

Google has several very strong features:
-   it has an absolutely brilliant precedence algorithm - and not only
     for their own advertising purposes, but also for unskilled users
-   it provides very quick response
-   it has big coverage of the still-expanding Web (although its
     competitive advantage in this area isn't all *that* huge)
-   it appears to be gratis, because its business model depends on
     advertising and users don't notice the consideration that they
     provide (and to the extent that they notice, they don't begrudge it)
-   the company has pots of money with which to buy PR from over-worked,
     sub-professional and gullible journalists and journalism outlets

As a result, it seems to be (and very arguably is) the best available 
search tool for unskilled users who are neither interested in, nor 
capable of understanding, the subtleties involved in free-text search.

The weakness was underlined for me over the last few weeks as I've 
waited for Google to fully index my new site.  (Nilly there now).

I've been using the ANU's copy of Panoptic/Funnelback as the 
standard, and measuring Google's service against it.

Feel free to conduct your own experiments, by means of:
-   http://www.rogerclarke.com/SiteSearch.html  (Panoptic/Funneback)
-   http://www.rogerclarke.com/GSiteSearch.html (Google)

One interesting test-case is:
-   Panoptic/Funnelback using <*nym*>
-   Google using <nym pseudonym pseudonymity anonym anonymity>


[I believe that the weaknesses (and of course the strengths) in 
Google's search services arose from smart people reinventing the 
wheel.  The invention goes back to Status and Stairs in the 1960s, 
but in part of course back to mediaeval (and even earlier?) 
concordances of the Bible.  Google's founders spent little time 
looking at prior knowledge.  The service is a product of the 
brashness (arrogrance?) of youth.

[But that's perhaps contentious, and I wouldn't want to start any 
arguments, now would I?]


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/

Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
                    Tel: +61 2 6288 1472, and 6288 6916
mailto:Roger.Clarke at xamax.com.au                http://www.xamax.com.au/

Visiting Professor in Info Science & Eng  Australian National University
Visiting Professor in the eCommerce Program      University of Hong Kong
Visiting Professor in the Cyberspace Law & Policy Centre      Uni of NSW