From web to desktop

Google Docs begins its journey to the desktop

Mr Google and the semantic web

Some people would like to avoid a semantic web head-to-head with Google ("the best way to find things is not to lose them in the first place"). But the capabilities of search engines are always linked to their ability to get machines to deal with meaning, as in Google's Annual Letter: "We continue our effort to extract more and more real meaning from the web in order to help people find the right answers." Maybe Google is the only really successful semantic application on the web, and as such raises some questions about the semantic web.

Semantic Web: The Origins of Artificial Intelligence Redux

Useful critique of some aspects of semantic web: The Semantic Web: The Origins of Artificial Intelligence Redux

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

An online version of Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs is available, along with videos of the accompanying lecture course.

Semantic Web overview

An update and summary of the semantic web from Alex Iskold, includes this:

Perhaps the first significant blow to the Semantic Web has been the inability thus far to improve search. The premise that semantical understanding of pages leads to vastly better search has yet to be validated. The two main contenders, Hakia and PowerSet, have made some progress, but not enough. The problem is that Google's algorithm, which is based on statistical analysis, deals just fine with semantic entities like people, cities, and companies. When asked What is the capital of France? Google returns a good enough answer.

There is a growing realization that marginal improvement in search might not be enough to beat Google, and to declare search the killer app for the Semantic Web. Likely, understanding semantics is helpful but not sufficient to build a better search engine. A combination of semantics, innovative presentation, and memory of who the user is, will be necessary to power the next generation search experience.

Which way for the semantic web?

It's interesting to see the way the semantic web is being woven into the fight for Yahoo's future. Amit Kumar seems to be saying that semantic identifiers can unlock the actual meaning of a text and that the semantic web can take Yahoo beyond Google. Meanwhile, Tim Berners-Lee seems to be moving his vision of the semantic web towards a web of data already in structured databases, whose value is unlocked by SPARQL.

The quality of data in the organisations I know about leaves a lot to be desired, even if they would share it. The idea of Artificial Intelligence is as fanciful as ever. Does no one in the AI field read Roland Barthes, or later Wittgenstein, or as a starting point Clay Shirky?

The cost of tolls

Andrew Odlyzko: Economic costs of charging for access (pdf)

Web 2 meets Web 3?

I'm looking at RealTravel, a hybrid Web 2/3 application. First impression was that it worked ok, but nothing to set it apart from other travel web sites. Until I saw this....San Francisco? Web 3 hommage to Web 2?

Histories: When the internet was made of paper - opinion - 22 March 2008 - New Scientist

The origins of the UDC, and of Paul Otlet's attempt to capture all information on catalogue cards is given a brief outing in this weeks New Scientist: Histories: When the internet was made of paper (extract only)

NLP finding mass audience

Where should one look for signs that the semantic web is delivering real benefits? It's difficult because of the spectrum of activities that self-describe as semantic. Of all the possible application areas search
is the obvious one.

HealthSpace wins clinician vote

Good news - HealthSpace wins clinician vote - Personal Health Records could be the saving of NPfIT.

Utility computing

Nick Carr is comparing grid wars old and new in today's Guardian - What Google wants is to condemn Microsoft to the electric chair

"This time, it's computing that's turning into a utility service supplied over a grid.

Until recently, software had to be run privately, on the hard drives of PCs or in the data centres maintained by corporations. But as the fibre-optic internet has grown in capacity, it has become possible to run software in central plants and distribute it to users over the network. As with electricity, the central supply of computing is in many cases proving more efficient, and cheaper, than private supply."

It was once electricity, now it's information. Google vs Microsoft? Here's a hint or two on who is winning.

Eric Schmidt at HIMSS

F.D.A. Approves Wyeth Antidepressant - New York Times

Given the recent news about Prozac, you have to wonder about this - F.D.A. Approves Wyeth Antidepressant