Google Goes to Answers.com

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Posted by timothy on Sunday March 13, 2005 @11:12AM from the abruptness dept.

tod_miller writes "Google has changed its definitions link from dictionary.com to answers.com. A google search for juxtaposition shows the effect. What is interesting is that answers.com pulls information from wikipedia.org, which was provided bandwidth by google.com [and now Google is providing a service that will be used worldwide to pull information off Wikipedia]. Aside from having both a dictionary.com and a wikipedia.org search box in FireFox (as well as Google) the definition link on Google is still useful and I regularly check it for obscure uses or exact definitions of words. Now it uses answers.com we do not get all the different forms of the word, but we do get any medical or wikipedic information. Interestingly, answers.com does not use Google AdSense, but commission junction that looks like it. There is no announcement yet from Google of their change." This change took place several weeks ago, as players of e-scrabble and other compulsive word-checkers might have noticed. Update: 03/13 23:20 GMT by T : (Also mentioned in passing last month.) Update: 03/14 02:13 GMT by T : Brion Vibber writes: "Google does *not* provide any bandwidth to Wikipedia at this time, except in the sense that they 'use up' our bandwidth when people using their search engine come to our site. ;)"

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Wikipedia information incorrect by A.+Brate · 2005-03-13 11:21 · Score: 5, Informative

You might want to correct the false statement that Google is providing hosting services to Wikipedia. Google has made such a proposal only.

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Artical unclear... by Paralizer · 2005-03-13 11:30 · Score: 5, Informative

I never noticed this feature before, so when I read the post I had no idea what it was talking about, other than something google was doing had changed from linking to dictionary.com to answers.com.

For those of you wondering the same thing, since the post didn't really discuss where the feature is located, if you google query for "juxtaposition" (or any other word), at the top right portion of the results page there is a little information about how long the query took:
Results 1 - 10 of about 887,000 for juxtaposition [definition]. (0.10 seconds)
[definition] is the link which the post is referring to, it links to answers.com with the definition of the word.
Re:Maybe it will help improve wictionary by Buzzard2501 · 2005-03-13 12:58 · Score: 5, Informative

Well, Wikipedia certainly does a better job of describing juxtaposition that Dictionary.com

Dictionary.com
The act or an instance of juxtaposing or the state of being juxtaposed.
Wikipedia
Generally, juxtaposition, or contrasting is an act or instance of placing two things close together or side by side, in order to show unlikeness or differences, to note the opposite qualities of the two, etc.

In music it is an abrupt change of elements.

In film the position of shots next to one another is intended to create meaning within the audiences mind.

In literature it occurs when two images that are otherwise not commonly brought together appear side by side or structural close together - thereby creating the reader to stop and reconsider the meaning of the text through the contrasting images/ideas/motifs.

Modernist poetry played extensivley with juxtaposing images, inserting unrelated fragments togther in order to create wonder and interest in readers.

Which would you prefer?

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