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Building a Bigger Search Engine

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the size-isn't-everything dept.

skreuzer writes "Wired is running a story about a distributed web crawler called Grub. People who choose to download and run the client will assist in building the Web's largest, most accurate database of URLs. This database will be used to improve existing search engines' results by increasing the frequency at which sites are crawled and indexed. Conceivably, Grub's distributed network could enable state information to be gathered on every document on the Internet, each and every day."

17 of 278 comments (clear)

  1. Haiku :-) by Ignorant+Aardvark · · Score: 4, Funny

    Grub searches the web
    Sniffing out all the good porn
    Not just bootloader

    I love being a Slashdot subscriber - it gives me fifteen minutes to figure out a good joke before anyone has a chance to post!

    Seriously though, shouldn't they change the name? "GRUB" is already a bootloader. They should change the name ... and I have a suggestion. Has anyone written a program called "E-Coli" yet? No? I can just imagine my mom ...

    "Agh! You have E-Coli on your computer!"

    --
    Cyde Weys Musings - Scrutinizing the inscrutable
    1. Re:Haiku :-) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      How about 'SARS'? Four letters, indicates something that spreads quickly...

    2. Re:Haiku :-) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny
      Seriously though, shouldn't they change the name? "GRUB" is already a bootloader. They should change the name ...
      I'm wondering if the Grub bootloader developers will throw a tantrum and flood the Grub crawler developers' e-mail addresses, claiming that this will confuse people and harm the bootloader project.

      Hee hee.
    3. Re:Haiku :-) by Unoriginal+Nick · · Score: 5, Funny
      Seriously though, shouldn't they change the name? "GRUB" is already a bootloader. They should change the name ...

      How about Firebird? I'm sure that won't cause any problems :-)

    4. Re:Haiku :-) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Hmmm yes. maybe they should have used A SEARCH ENGINE before deciding on Grub. Currently the GNU GRUB is the first result on google.

    5. Re:Haiku :-) by Chester+K · · Score: 4, Funny

      As time approaches infinity, the number of software projects named Firebird also approaches infinity.

      It's ok though because they'll all still be different projects, so nobody will get confused.

      --

      NO CARRIER
  2. If previous results are any guide by carl67lp · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Tech-savvy people will install this.
    2. Tech-savvy people tend to be loners.
    3. Loners most often search for porn.

    C1. Tech-savvy people search for porn.

    4. Items searched for most often reach the top of the list.
    5. Porn is searched for often by tech-savvy people.

    C2. Porn will be easier to find with this new search engine.

    Count me in!

    1. Re:If previous results are any guide by anon*127.0.0.1 · · Score: 4, Funny

      You're having trouble finding porn now?

      --
      I am NOT a man!
      I am a free number!
  3. Grub by squiggleslash · · Score: 3, Funny
    Ok, so how are they going to store this giant search engine in the boot sector of an ordinary hard drive?

    Oh wait, you mean it's not related to GRUB, the Linux/etc boot loader. *slaps forehead* But I guess this solves everything - we can call Phoenix "Grub" too, and just treat it as the generic name to call everything we're having problems thinking up a name for...

    --
    You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  4. Google's technology is superior... by eidechse · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...those pigeons can't be beat.

  5. Has anyone consulted the master of bigger engines? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    I think Tim the tool-man Taylor is the man for this job. Nobody over builds engines, better than this lovable Tim Allen character.

    More POWER! ugh ooough ooough!

  6. Re:search.msn.com is the future by velkro · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not to mention:

    Results 1-15 of about 609 containing "linux"

    I seem to remember there being more than 609 websites with Linux information on them...

  7. Altruistic? by sulli · · Score: 5, Funny
    That's the dumbest thing I've heard in ages. Why should I help out a for-profit company for free?

    (Oh, I can't remember. Have I MetaModerated Recently?)

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
    1. Re:Altruistic? by R0 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Notice
      ======
      The main executable has been renamed to "grubclient" out of respect for the GNU Grub bootloader, who's executable is named "grub". They were out first, so we decided to pick another name. If you have a catchy suggestion for a new name, please let us know.

      I nominate "parasite".

  8. Re:You can run both by rabidcow · · Score: 5, Funny

    Grub is mainly interested in your excess bandwidth.

    Unfortunately, so is my ISP. In fact, they've already sold it to other customers.

  9. The have cracked it by fireman+sam · · Score: 2, Funny

    1. Design a search engine
    2. Let everyone else fill it
    3. Profit

    The second step is finally found!!! YAY

    --
    it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
  10. Re:search.msn.com is the future by pafrusurewa · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Austrian version of MSN is even better. If you search for Linux, the first two results are WinXP ads on the Microsoft site. And, while you're at it, try searching for google or yahoo. This will produce a popup saying "Why look for a search engine when you've already found one?".