search technology

Google counters with universal search model

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Not to be outdone by Microsoft, Google this week at the Search Engine Strategies conference in San Jose, announced progress in its universal search model project. The technology--first announced in May--is an improved version of the company's current search technology that it says will "break down silos of information on the Web and provide the best answer every time a user enters a query." It will allow users to search across content sources, compare and rank information in real time, and deliver a single set of integrated results. The objective is to move away from simply delivering links that may or may not be in an optimal context, and to provide richer answers to questions entered into the query box. The company is exploring ways to better use data from blogs, and YouTube videos to add to the body of searchable items.

To learn more on Google's search plans:
- see the article in Infoworld

Study: Senior execs approve of Web 2.0

Wed, 09 May 2007 20:01:39 -0400

The vast majority of C-level executives view the sharing and collaboration inherent in Web 2.0 technologies to be an excellent way to increase revenue or margins. The study, sponsored by FAST, found that large companies have begun using Web 2.0 tools and methods to create online communities to help with product marketing and development. They are also creating blogs or wikis to communicate better with customers and share knowledge both inside and outside of the company. The study's authors expect to see a rapid acceleration in the Web 2.0 adoption curve as business leaders recognize the value of community-sourced information made accessible and actionable via search technology. Eventually, they expect to see Web 2.0 principles change how organizations innovate and execute.

Read more about how enterprises are using Web 2.0:
- read the article at Social Computing

ALSO:
- read this about Web 2.0 as a competitive maneuver
- this about Web 2.0 for the enterprise
- this for reasons to jump on the Web 2.0 bandwagon
- this on wikis entering the corporate consciousness
- and this on tapping into the world of social networking

Lawyers are a fact of life for CIOs

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

The recent rash of legislation governing data retention, electronic discovery, privacy, data use and abuse has created a goldmine for lawyers well-versed in IT issues. More than ever before, CIOs must interact with attorneys just to protect themselves and their companies. It's not always a pleasant experience, but it's a fact of corporate life today. There are ways to reduce your exposure to lawyers, though. One option is to outsource the management of data and compliance to an outside service provider and another is to cue up new types of software to classify data at creation, apply policies to it and to enforce it--all in one fell swoop. Yet another is to employ an internal search technology to help companies locate difficult-to-find data.

Learn more about how to avoid lawyers:
- read the column at ComputerWorld

ALSO NOTED: Managing a virtual workforce; integration of IT with HR;

Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:01:38 -0500

> How to manage a virtual workforce effectively. Podcast

> Integration of IT systems with human resources systems increases efficiency. Article

> IBM's new desktop software lowers the cost of using managing Apple, Linux computers. Article

> Microsoft announces new Windows services for mobile devices. Article

> Managing software professionals. Blog

> Marrying business intelligence and enterprise search technology. Article

And Finally… Lessons learned about ERP. Blog

Privacy is a growing issue with collected data

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 20:01:39 -0400

Any company storing confidential data, or tracking users' activity using search technology, needs to keep an eye on the evolving story of AOL's recent search data boo-boo as privacy lobbyists push for a full investigation of the recent incident. In case you missed the news, AOL published Web phrases and search terms used by its extensive membership in the past three months. It turned out that users could be identified through the data, a privacy invasion that the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) isn't about to overlook. The EFF now wants the Federal Trade Commission to look into the issue and says it's a prime example of why data collection must be regulated with strict laws.

For more on the data privacy issue:
- click over to TechWeb to read the article