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Putting Google to the Test
Big Nothing writes "Google has built its reputation on being the fastest and most accurate way to find information. But is the internet really the quickest way to access facts - and get them right? The Guardian puts Google to the test against more old-fashioned methods."
Instead of comparing them against each other, its more important to use both internet based as well as "old fashioned" resources together. Its important to realize that hard backed enyyclopedias are better than google and wikipedia for some things, and not for others. The younger generation needs to learn how to recognize what source to use, instead of automatically going to google. The internet should not replace old fashioned resources but merely embrace them.
the byproduct of years of oppression by the white man
That none of the questions included something likey what is the maximum sustainable speed in Mb/s of the alcatel 8100 series router
Thats the stuff where Google with kick everyones trash, not complete list of authorships
He didn't count the time it took for him to leave his office and drive to the library. So add another 20 minutes to all of the library times.
Their library lookups don't appear to have included:
Looking it up in a card catalog (electronic or not)
Finding the book/periodical on the shelf
Accounting for missing resources (like a real life 404!)
Yeah, I'm a Google fan. Sometimes the library is better - but not for factoid lookups or finding out what the Royal Wessex couple did on Tuesday.
The comparison dosent seem to be so much as google / other means - its more of an Online V/s Offline means to search for specific stuff.
I think its wrong to brand Google as the only means to look for information online.
Secondly, the issues that the reviewer raises are also adhoc - they cant be used to generalise the entire deal / spectrum of infomation that people need / want / desire.
Try looking for a code sample that shows you how the GTK# can be used from Mono to display a Multi level Outline filelist. What are the options that you have for this in the Non - Online world ?
The guy already knew who to ask / who to talk to - what if you dont know that - what then ? how do you go about finding the best non-online resource to speak with / enquire from ? My guess is that you are going to be heading right back online.
What about the fact that the online resources / google are avilable to you when you want it - how you want it and where you want it. Ever looked up what a word from the bible meant in the middle of sunday mass at the local church using a Wap phone over gprs at wml.google.com ? Me neither....
After reading the article, I feel there is a slight bias in favour of the libraries when looking at the questions. Of course a library has a master index of books of one author. Or - to find out about some very specific question about an event you immediately know what kind of journals to look in.
The only question really geared for search engines was the Thatcher quote (as that would be a full text search).
Would this be the time to create a true categorisation of questions to be used in comparisons? (Note - not the ACTUAL questions, so that search engines could optimise for them, but only specify the general direction of questions).
I admit, it would be pretty hard to do, but I guess it could be worth the effort...
This could be because no-where in the top page source does Google ever have the word 'engine'.
Question 3: Who is the vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on back care?
Google - 6min 27sec (3rd)
Quote: "Unfortunately, "back" is rather a common word, and is turning up in all sorts of irrelevant documents..."
Entering "back care" in quotation marks got me the answer in 25 seconds, much less than either of the "offline" sources. If they're going to have an accurate test, at least make sure the person performing it knows how to use a search engine.
Or maybe I'm wrong; maybe most people don't have these basic searching skills, in which case the test is accurate after all?
-- If no truths are spoken then no lies can hide --
I would think it would take 5 mins just to find the phone number to the library, get some one to answer the phone and then explain the question, PLUS have them search for answer. This also would all depend on the library you call. Google is google no matter where you live, but not every library is staffed when the same people.
it's interesting that your 'library searches' seemed to take only a minute or two to perform. You didn't bother counting the time it took to actually go to the library and find the relevant book, then?
I found the answer to the question 3 in about 30 seconds, well under the 6m 27s quoted by their researcher. It's clear from their comments about irrelevant pages that they hadn't enclosed 'back' in quotes to form "back pain", as '"back care" parliamentary group' puts the result on the third link (from google.co.uk). Also, it doesn't seem very fair to compare a researcher who doesn't think to use quotes round that expression with a librarian who knows to look "on page 242 of the excellent Vacher's Quarterly", a publication with which I (and most of the public, I would imagine) have no familiarity whatsoever.
Google knows nothing, except where words are placed.
But really, that test does not consider the fact that it takes a while to go to the library and that you actually need to get out of your house. Plus, library isn't available at night, neither is most people you can try to call.
Google sure wins any convenience test.
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So you're telling me that the first library test which took 20 seconds, involved looking in a card index, fetching the book and looking it up? Or did he have the relevant book in front of him already? - That strikes me a bit as cheating, otherwise I'd say it would take longer than 20 seconds just getting the book and opening it.
My <1000 UID is with a hot chick
Google has some other advantages that phoning and the Library don't have:
1. Google is pretty much 'always on'. I can do a Google search any time of day where as I can't use the phone or the library at 3 am.
2. The ability to Find a keyword. Usually when I use a google search I use the google cache. This highlights the terms I am looking for so I can find them easily on the page. This is an inherent advantage of the computer over people or your eyes - scanning through text looking for what you really want.
humble and proud of it.
How about a meaningful comparison of electronic data retrieval services?
Compare Google to Lexis-Nexis.
Lexis-Nexis has boolean logic driven search (not natural language), and lacks "PageRank", but it includes all sorts of major periodicals not offered and certainly not archived on the web.
Lexis-Nexis would win hands down in all sorts of categories of questions.
It's an object lesson in the impact of intellectual property laws on access to information in our societies.