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Boiling Down Books, Algorithmically

Posted by timothy on from the infallible-is-a-very-strong-word dept.

destinyland writes "A year ago, Aaron Stanton harangued Google over his new project, a web site analyzing patterns in books to generate infallible recommendations. In March he finally finished a prototype which he showed to Google, Yahoo, and Amazon, and he's just announced that he's finally received a big contract which 'gives us a great deal of potential data to work with.' The 25-year-old's original prototype examined over 200 books, plotting 729,000 data points across 30,293 scenes — but its universe of analyzed novels is about to become much, much bigger."

5 of 177 comments (clear)

  1. Just one more errosion.... by zappepcs · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The difference between now and 100 years ago becomes more apparent each day. Then, owning books was a sign of affluence, of intelligence. Now? Everything is up to question, and should be. Analyzing books and other public material is just another step in putting intelligence out there for everyone, not just those that can afford it. I applaud it, and all the dangers it brings. Such hurdles are necessary, but we must assault them to overcome barriers that should no longer exist.

    --
    Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
    1. Re:Just one more errosion.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Knowledge, not intelligence.

    2. Re:Just one more errosion.... by blahplusplus · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What really hits a nerve with me is why the scientific community hasn't opened up all their journals for others to read. I imagine many retired and amateur scientists, engineers, hobbyists, etc, would have a lot of insight into many engineering and scientific problems and also make many discoveries as well. Intelligence is not limited to the credentialed, those of high status or currently employed, many discoveries happen simply by exposure to as many minds as possible, and finding connections and errors in others works..

    3. Re:Just one more errosion.... by smittyoneeach · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If you wish to spend your nights reading information from 2+ years ago, that is your problem. The rest of us want today's information, and now. Good luck with the personal library.

      It's getting to the point that you need a 2+ year filter just to dampen the noise in the signal.
      And let's give a shout out to all of the library homiez. While I'm affluent enough to afford the occasional impulse book at the store with the built-in coffee shop, I do recall many an hour of random wandering in the public library in my youth.

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
  2. If you already read, you don't need this... by thereofone · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...and if you do not read, you won't want this.