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Google Patents Search Algorithm

Posted by michael on from the google-this dept.

blastedtokyo writes "Google gets the first web search patent. According to this News.com.com article, Google was able to patent how they crawl and rank web pages. They claim "an improved search engine that refines a document's relevance score based on interconnectivity of the document within a set of relevant documents.""

4 of 362 comments (clear)

  1. patent schmatent by djupedal · · Score: 0, Troll

    If it takes a patented search engine to link pages, we're all in big trouble. No one can improve on basic relevance, and claiming first dibs or mine is bigger than yours holds little promise over something we already call 'indexing'. Might as well patent the act of walking as a means of mobility.

    This is just another misuse of the system in search of fatter wallets.

  2. mixed emotions by sootman · · Score: 0, Troll

    google, hooray! er, I mean, patents, boooo! dammit, I just don't know *how* to feel.

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  3. Hold on a minute by Amsterdam+Vallon · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'm not how to react, so let me think this out.

    OK, Google is good b/c they have such a useful search site and it's really fast and reliable.

    But, patents are bad b/c they generally are overextended into the realm of "natural augmentation" that existing systems would eventually become in the future. So, I guess Google is bad.

    Wait, though, how would I survive without Google's Image Search or Cacheing system. Clearly they're good.

    Well, sure, they're both helpful, but deep down there's an epistemological debate in my heart that simply cannot be hushed. Google is wrong for exploiting free software for their own good and then patenting their creations into privacy and not sharing their own work. Google is bad!

    OK, that's fine and good, but the bottom line is that many every day things aren't totally right or just. Cars aren't open source, but how could I get to work without one. So, I guess Google really isn't all that bad.

    Today's conclusion: Google is good!

    --

    Reply or e-mail; don't vaguely moderate. Ex-O'Reilly/MIT employee, now a full-time Google employee.
  4. Re:OMG MORE PATENTS!!! by akamoe · · Score: 0, Troll

    Microsoft is too busy trying to sue good patents out from under people to worry about patents that are hard to enforce.

    Rest in Peace, Stac.

    -- R