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Bill Slawski started a very detailed thread about a new patent application named The Assigning Geographic Locations to Web Pages. Here is the abstract of the application.
A system and method for assigning geographic location identifiers to web documents may include identifying a set of web documents. A geographic location identifier included within a first web document in the set of web documents may be identified. The identified geographic location identifier may be assigned to a second web document in the set of web documents based on a relevancy of the first web document to the second web document.
Bill goes through the application in plain English in the thread, which is pretty cool to read. But after that post, he follows up, with offering a practical explanation for the use of such a patent at Google.
The thought of "invisible tabs" struck me. The idea that people don't like to switch from one type of search to another, and ignore some of the different types of searches that they could do at a Google or Yahoo!. But, was there something more? Because it is possible that people could become use to using a Google Local search, and come to love those tabs. Is there a problem with where the information from local search is being collected? Maybe.
Fascinating stuff, but even more so, its fascinating to see how Bill's mind works. :)
Comments:
Bill
08/19/2005 10:10 pm
Funny, but I sort of find it fascinating seeing how the people who work on search engines think. I'm also a little afraid of editorializing a little too much about a patent application that may end up not being used, or that is given up for a different approach. Thanks for pointing the thread out, Barry. With the forum closing to move the server over the weekend, the links to the thread won't be working. But hopefully we can spark some discussion on the topic. Cheers
xan
08/23/2005 03:59 pm
It's a bit like the microsoft QDL algorithm that was presented recently isn't it? The method is different but the idea is the same.
Bill
08/29/2005 12:02 am
Nice call, Xan. Your site, and article on the Microsoft algorithm is down right now, but I'd like to see what you wrote on it. I'm assuming that you mean this paper: <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/asia/dload_files/group/wsm/SigIR2005/Detecting%20Dominant%20Locations%20from%20Search%20Queries.pdf">Detecting Dominant Locations from Search Queries</a>
Bill
08/29/2005 12:02 am
Here's the URL to the paper: http://research.microsoft.com/asia/dload_files/group/wsm/SigIR2005/Detecting%20Dominant%20Locations%20from%20Search%20Queries.pdf