Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News

      Alternative Futures of Search

      By
      eWEEK Editorial Board
      -
      March 15, 2004
      Share
      Facebook
      Twitter
      Linkedin

        We all have come to take for granted the power, value and ease of Internet search. When we force ourselves to imagine anything other than free, comprehensive and unbiased access to relevant rankings of the Webs expanding resources, the prospect is unappealing. It may be unrealistic, though, to think that the present idyllic situation can last. Search has costs, and someone has to pay. We can hope, however, that lessons learned in other media—such as the clear distinction between editorial content and advertising in print newspapers—will be applied to Internet search with a minimum of painful rediscovery.

        At this months Search Engine Strategies Conference & Expo in New York, many alternative futures of search emerged, with credible advocates on both sides of the most critical divide: the one that separates the paid “Yellow Pages” approach from the unpaid “Web crawl” approach. On one side, Google shuns any taint of pay-to-play, at least for listings that are not marked as sponsored; on the other, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves each offer private toll roads into their listings for those who can pay the price of admission.

        The argument is not a simple choice between idealist and mercenary positions. As any economist will remind us, every scarce good—including premium placement on a “hits” page—will eventually command a price. The only question is whether that price is explicit, for example, a fee to ensure inclusion, or indirect, such as the development or purchase of reverse-engineered algorithms for “gaming” the page-ranking process.

        We believe a good place to begin is to clearly label results. Indeed, the Federal Trade Commission issued guidelines for search-result presentation in June 2002, but an independent assessment last year by Search Engine Journal found several search sites—including HotBot, Teoma and Yahoo—sailing close to the wind when it came to clear labeling of paid versus unpaid links. We believe that any drift in the direction of deception needs to be halted before it becomes the norm.

        We dont believe that search is a natural monopoly, and we urge dominant Internet gatekeepers not to try to own the function but to accept and relish competition. Users must have the flexibility to seek satisfaction on their own terms rather than being forced to conform their searches to any single site designers point of view. Portals, defined and managed by the worlds next generation of editors in chief, should be a growth business—and every portal should include its own form of search, incorporating knowledge of concepts and relationships in particular topics and tasks.

        Free competition will tend to make search offerings more diverse, as every manner of content provider seeks to become the starting point of a users journey instead of just hoping to be the destination. In that progression, we say, let the games continue under accurate labels that let users make up their own minds about how to find what they want.

        eWEEK is interested in your opinion. Send your comments to [email protected].

        eWEEK Editorial Board

        MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

        Cybersecurity

        Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

        James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
        I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
        Read more
        Cloud

        Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

        James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
        Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
        Read more
        Big Data and Analytics

        GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

        James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
        I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
        Read more
        Applications

        Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

        James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
        I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
        Read more
        IT Management

        Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

        James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
        I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
        Read more
        Logo

        eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

        Facebook
        Linkedin
        RSS
        Twitter
        Youtube

        Advertisers

        Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

        Advertise with Us

        Menu

        • About eWeek
        • Subscribe to our Newsletter
        • Latest News

        Our Brands

        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms
        • About
        • Contact
        • Advertise
        • Sitemap
        • California – Do Not Sell My Information

        Property of TechnologyAdvice.
        © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

        Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

        ×