Google Tests Custom Highlights, Comments In Search

Ian Lamont writes "Google is testing functionality that lets users tinker with query results by re-ranking them and commenting on them. The reason for the commenting feature: 'We're just curious to see how it will be used,' according to a Google engineer quoted in the article. The company has posted screenshots of some of the experiments, which also involve highlighting certain results as well as stems and synonyms within results. Google declined to answer any questions about the experiments, and it's not known whether Google would factor the rearranging of results by users into the overall computation for ranking results for those specific queries. It's also not clear whether search result comments would be made available to anyone to read."

Comments

Not Sweet

[Mad Bad Rabbit]

Now the spammers can pay people in ${ThirdWorldNation}
to rate advertisements higher and comment favorably
on them

Re:How about this --

[Anonymous Coward]

to bump up AmateurSexChange?

Do not underestimate...

[DrYak]

...the stupidity of the crowd.

If slashdot is any indicator of mass stupidity, the would-be-spammer are going to be buried under an even more overwhelming amount of comments of doubtful usefulness.

Like "yes" "no" "omg" "lol" "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" "goodluckwiththat"
and "ponies"....

Re:Do not underestimate...

[Captain Splendid]

Do not underestimate...

...the stupidity of the crowd.

If slashdot is any indicator of mass stupidity, the would-be-spammer are going to be buried under an even more overwhelming amount of comments of doubtful usefulness.

Like "yes" "no" "omg" "lol" "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" "goodluckwiththat"
and "ponies"....

Fine by me. lolcats is still infinitely preferable to any "parked" domain that masquerades as a search engine or offers dubious products or services.

Re:Do not underestimate...

[TobyRush]

In Soviet Russia, the gender neutral first person pronoun is you!

Finally

[SirLurksAlot]

Google is testing functionality that lets users tinker with query results by re-ranking them and commenting on them.

I can start commenting/modding search results as "+5 Informative" or "-1 Off-topic!"

Re:How about this --

[Bryansix]

My wife actually asked me what I was doing on www.mSexChange.org

Re:Sweet!

[Fizzl]

Indeed. Buh-bye expert-sexchange. Good riddance.

Rating....

[BitterOldGUy]

...the stupidity of the crowd.

If slashdot is any indicator of mass stupidity, the would-be-spammer are going to be buried under an even more overwhelming amount of comments of doubtful usefulness.

Like "yes" "no" "omg" "lol" "whatcouldpossiblygowrong" "goodluckwiththat" and "ponies"....

So, we're to expect microsoft.com to be rated negative one hundred billion and Apple to be rated plus one hundred billion?

Re:Rating....

[darkpixel2k]

And as far as anyone can rate a system the system can also be designed to watch for those people abusing the ratings. Also, over time the system will balance that out.

Awesome. Google will finally have mods and metamods.

Finally my website can be rated -1 TROLL

Re:Sweet!

[eln]

Now all of my search results will have comments on them with advertisements for herbal V1@gra. Sweet!

Re:Pagerank back to the top?

[dino2gnt]

How is the weather in Bizarro World today?

Re:doing Google's job for them

[Fizzl]

The one in... uh... zakata.com. Sorry, my bad. Generic typo link farm looks like a link farm :)

Re:Absolutely needed.

[geminidomino]

I was studying for a certification test and had a CD for TransCender practice tests sitting on my desk. My girlfriend at the time gave me the weirdest look and asked, "Why do you have a Transgender DVD on your desk?"

A better question: Why were you dating someone who couldn't even READ?