Guest User

Derived Regulation

Harnessing tech to address a nation's challenges

by Lim Sheng Ming , Brunei Darussalam

Subscribe to this blog

Cuil looks kewl

Jul 28, 2008 20:03

When you've got Google, who needs another search engine, right? That didn't stop the folks over at Cuil (pronounced COOL) who claim to have provided a new approach to search which combines the biggest Web index with content-based relevance methods, results organized by ideas, and complete user privacy.

Do we need a new way to search? Why not? Ask Jeeves (now Ask.com) encouraged users to enter search queries as questions that they'd ask a normal human being. More importantly though, according to Cuil's Management page some of its employees used to work at Google. Me thinks that's reason enough to pay attention. Of course, most Internet users don't care for revolutionary search algorithm techniques; it's the final search results that matters.

Running my own rudimentary test, I searched for Street Fighter (don't ask me why, it's just how I test out new search engines.) The first thing I noticed was the horizontal list of tabs that helped further define my search results, in this case the different releases of Street Fighter.

The tabs which appear when searching for Street Fighter

A very neat addition but surprisingly the hottest thing in Street Fighter right now is the barely-one-week-old Street Fighter 4, is hidden within the more... tab. If the tabs implemented some intelligent current event context, and I wouldn't rule this out completely, that would be much more helpful.

Secondly, Cuil provides a panel along the right that suggests particular categories related to my search. In my case, it offers me, among other things, the ability to search among the different Street Fighter characters. Since Safe Search was on it didn't suggest more, erm, revealing results.

The suggested categories for my <i>Street Fighter</i> search.

What I find most interesting though is the way the search results are laid out. By default they are displayed in two columns, but with a quick click you can have them display in three. It makes me wonder why I put up with Google's listing of search results (though Google Images does lay out the results in a column-row grid fashion.) Selectively adding images to the search results is also a nice touch, though I'd much prefer a screenshot of the linked site.

Search results laid out in columns.

So far, Cuil looks promising enough to warrant changing my default search engine for a few days. I only hope it does away with the Apple-inspired Web 2.0 design. That's so 2007.

I still remember the first day I laid eyes on Google's main page. It looked pretty much the same as it does now: Undistinguished. On that same day I also stumbled upon the now-defunct Teoma (which now points to Ask.com). Google stayed, Teoma didn't. Let's see if Cuil will become the new Internet-inspired verb.

« Prev

Report offensive

Talkback

mman74

View profile

Send mail

mman74 says...
Tried it, thought the interface was great, but the search results not so. If it doesn't get better, then I really don't see the point in using this, unless you care more about fancy presentation over the content it can link you to.
There is a reason Google is king (if that's the world for this global conquering behemoth), and it isn't because of the graphical layout. I'm holding off the bookmark for the time being.

Jul 29, 2008 11:43

Comment

Report offensive

limshengming

View profile

Send mail

limshengming says...
@mman74:

Many of the user comments I've read online echo your sentiment. And I fully agreee: what use is a search engine if it doesn't give me what I'm searching for? That said, Cuil is still pretty new and I'm willing to keep an eye on its progress. Even if Cuil doesn't stick around I hope other search engines will see the value in Cuil's tabs and Explore by Category.

One other thing that has been mentioned, that I neglected to mention myself, is Cuil's privacy policy. I'm no lawyer so I can't vouch for Cuil's privacy policy but in a world where even Google isn't beyond privacy speculation Cuil's bold statement that they "analyzes the Web, not its users" will hopefully give fair indication to other search engines that we don't liked to be sniffed all the time.

Jul 29, 2008 15:29

Comment

Report offensive

About Lim Sheng Ming

Tired of relatives misspelling his name, Lim Sheng Ming christened himself "LSM". Born in Brunei, he is currently based in intoxicating Japan where he is supposed to be doing research. A published writer, an accomplished Latin dancer, a Tai Chi practitioner and a committed Lifehacker, he still finds time to follow standards-based Web development and promote Internet accessibility. He is also one of the few who have switched from a Mac (but don't judge him for that).