A new search engine is approaching!
You need to search something, which search engine do you use? 62% use Google, 21% use Yahoo, and 8.5% use Microsoft. When doing a search most people will say that they use Google. Google provides links to almost any search one would have. It is hard for any other search engine to compare to the searching power that Google offers. For this reason it is clear that Google is the forerunner for the search engine industry. However, what is it that makes Google so popular and dominant? Although Google runs on a basic searching system, which is based off of a hub with authority scores and PageRanks, it is the fact that Google constantly changes their ranking system to match the current trends of the searches, also the sheer number of people that flock to Google for a search which add to the dominance Google has over other search engines.
There have been many search engines that tried to compete with Google, but have continued to lose. One recent search engine that is trying to compete with Google is Cuil, which is pronounced “cool”. Cuil was created by two ex-Google employees. They say they have the new technology to overcome the search engine giant. This new search engine instead of trying to mimic Google’s method of ranking the quality and quantity of links to different Web pages, would create a new way of evaluating different Web pages, focusing more on the actual content on these pages. This new search engine also includes a different layout compared to the vertical stack of Web links that Google provides. The search will look more like a magazine with photos spread horizontally across the page, which also include click-able sidebars which would direct the user to more related topics. In addition to the change in layout and options for search, Cuil is hoping to attract search engine users by retaining information about users’ search history or web surfing patterns to have a search tailored more specifically to each individual. Having a tailored search will filter more of the pages and rank these pages more according to suit the indivudal. This latter feature that Cuil includes is somewhat controversial because of the invasion of privacy, but could be a great way to tailor searches for the individual.
Although the promise of Cuil is very appealing, it will be hard for this new search engine to take over Google. Google is almost synonymous to a search. People colloquially say, “I’m going to Google this rather than I’m going to search this.” The traffic on Google is by far the majority compared to any other search engine. The individual tailoring that Cuil offers might ultimately break of make this new search engine.
-kk537