[Sigia-l] "Best Bets" or "Accidental Thesaurus" Examples?

[Listera]

"Richard Wiggins" wrote:

> The question is, if so few unique search terms can yield so much paydirt,
> why don't more people do this?

Depends on what's "paydirt" ;-)

There is an aspect of this that's problematic. It's the best-seller
phenomenon. Best-sellers are created and maintained as such by promoting
them as best-sellers; it's a feedback loop. If you look at a public library
or examine the logs of music retailers, you'll see the push for
best-sellers, performers, best-bets, etc. If the same files, books, music,
etc., are always promoted as "best-bets" they indeed become the most
referenced. This may or may not be considered as "serving the user,"
depending on your political orientation. I'm not saying this is always bad,
just that it can be.

Best,

Ziya