[Sigia-l] "Web Searches: The Fix Is In"

[Danilo Medeiros]

just an interesting story:

I knew a guy in Barcelona who had a travel agency. He specialized in selling
packages to the Maiorca and Minorca islands. He got more than 80% of his
business thanks to his web site. His site, in fact, was ranking #1 in google
when someone searched for the terms "Maiorca, tourism" or "Minorca,
tourism". I asked if he had paid google. He told me "no, I just pay a guy to
build static html sites linking to mine. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. he
creates about 60 sites a week."

cheers,
Danilo




-----Original Message-----
From: sigia-l-admin at asis.org [mailto:sigia-l-admin at asis.org]On Behalf Of
Derek R
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 2:26 AM
To: 'sigia l'
Subject: Re: [Sigia-l] "Web Searches: The Fix Is In"


http://businessweek.com/magazine/content/03_40/b3852098_mz063.htm

..|  Paid inclusion dilutes the accuracy
..|  and relevance of a search engine

If you think paid inclusion fixes accuracy and relevance, think again
what categories, taxonomies, and hierarchies are doing. A
paying-criteria or a librarian-criteria, what's the difference? You're
still in bondage and subservient.


..|  The trouble is...readers could grow to dismiss
..|  Internet search as nothing but a pile of ads

As I have mentioned, this is the trouble with 'findability' which openly
endorses a spam environment.

I know 'findability' has its heart in the right place, but its process
is backward. It is a shame AIfIA is using it as its calling card.

As soon as we try to make things mean more than we meant (like paid
inclusion) in order to facilitate 'finding' we are adopting 'schemas'
disproportionate to the knowledge they represent. What's important,
though, is to recognize we can leave these *fanaticisms* behind, and
move forward with confidence, just by being real.


Derek Rogerson
http://derekrogerson.com/

"Take what you can get. Small is better."





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