Jeska Linden, the community manager at Linden Lab, the company that publishes Second Life said in a discussion (link to recording removed as per InformationWeeks wishes) today at an InformationWeek meeting, that the development team were playing around with Google Search Appliance. Google's enteprise hardware/software search solution would allow residents to search the Metaverse far more effectively. In theory, it would knock home grown efforts like the upcoming revamp of Sheep Search, Meta Mart and SL Browser right out of the game.
The upside would be a vastly improved Search experience. So let's hope it works out...
Jeska said that the results from searches using the new system would be rendered in flat HTML, which would also be usability improvement and perhaps one step closer to the fabled "html on a prim" ideal of bringing markup inworld.
This depends on how they might implement it. If it's just a better landsearch etc. and not an object search then these homegrown efforts are still having a usecase.
In the end though Linden Lab should open up their databases filtered by opt-in objects and so on. Then home grown efforts could still exist and prosper while removing hacks like the search bots running around these days.
Yeh, i'd definately like to see a solution that left some room for others to play, but ultimately, and perhaps selfishly, I just want really good Search! :)
I also just want really good search! So I hope the linden's system works well. If it is better than the sheep search (until we innovate further ;-) ) then we all win, frankly. As I've always said, options and innovation in search is a GOOD thing!
She said that they would in fact search avatars, and that's progress, but I hope people can opt out.
Robin had some more to say about the new search here:
http://secondthoughts.typepad.com/second_thoughts/2007/08/search-anddest...
Google search appliance is a software that knows how to index files/documents/databases and then makes a search possible. Many big companies use this software for their internal document management....
Google's web search main advantage is that it has it's ranking system what makes it a superb search. Now Google search appliance isn't using that techique.. so in the end we will just have to wait to see how it all plays out!
Off course I want to see some room for 3'rd parties( not a secret that I want this ) but I think there is still lots of room for us!
Search the metaverse www.MetaverseMart.com
I can't find the recording anywhere... what should I look under? Why did they have you remove the deep link? Frustrating...
Hopefully we do get a really good search here. The current search function isn't much better then broken but again, remember even after/if they integrate the Google search app it is going to take a good bit of time before it is a "really good" search (tweaking and what not)
GSA & its little brother Google Mini are great at indexing unstructured data that is deliverable over http. I'm sure with a little tweaking it can massively improve the search quality within SL.
Speaking as an SEO and an SL evangelist, I can't wait. Anyone want to help me set up up SL's first SEO consultancy?
I have been waiting for some time for some company (including LL) with resources to create a good search solution in Second Life. When I first came to Second Life and saw the state of Search I decided to dust off a web application I had and re-tool it to fit Second Life and other Metaverses - for those of you that have not seen Gridocity.com (and that is most of you - :0 ) stop by and take a look http://www.Gridocity.com You can even Teleport to the Companies listed by a click of your mouse (as long as you have your Second Life Client open). Lets hope Search does get better for Second Life but in the meantime 3rd party solutions can be helpful for some.
Best Wishes
Evian Argus