[Sigia-l] Search and classification

[Boniface Lau]

> From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On
> Behalf Of Gerry McGovern
> 
[...]
> The Yahoo classification/categorization system is a 'technology?'

Yes.


> The Yahoo categories were developed by people, not machines.

Technology does not necessary mean automation. Technology includes
"methods" which are the result of scientific knowledge being used for
practical purposes. When people apply a "method", they produce
something. In the case of Yahoo, that something is categories.


[...]
> In fact, Yahoo is still the number one destination on the Web. 

Where did you get your statistics? Care to share them? According to
the 2002/Dec/24 Wall Street Journal article "Yahoo Agrees to Acquire
Inktomi for $235 Million":

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB1040654572101568313,00.html

WSJ> Google slightly edged out Yahoo in November search usage with
WSJ> 41.3 million U.S. users to Yahoo's 40.6 million, according to
WSJ> comScore Networks Inc.


> I just read where their underlying revenues rose 39 percent, so they
> must be doing something right.

According to the 2002/Oct/11 Wall Street Journal article "Yahoo's
Refocus on Searches Paid Off in Its Latest Results":

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB1034261829795425716,00.html

WSJ> Yahoo Inc.'s upbeat third-quarter results could mark a turning
WSJ> point for the long-struggling Internet company, driven largely by
WSJ> a renewed focus on the original Web search service it once seemed
WSJ> to play down.


Then in the 2003/Jan/15 Wall Street Journal article "Yahoo Enjoys a
Rebound That Rivals Haven't Seen":

http://online.wsj.com/article_print/0,,SB1042594740359697184,00.html

WSJ> Yahoo acquired Web search-service Inktomi in late December for
WSJ> $235 million in cash. It expects that purchase to help improve
WSJ> its search capabilities

May be some of the right things that Yahoo did were:

-- the renewed focus on search and 

-- the acknowledgement that its search capabilities needed to be
beefed up by buying Inktomi.

Yahoo was listening to common sense, instead of the pitch against
search.


Boniface