With Facebook’s IPO upon us, the timing of Google’s latest press blitz should probably be regarded with a healthy dose of suspicion, but the unveiling of the Knowledge Graph is an important step in Google’s journey — and a reaffirmation of values diluted by recent dalliances in social networking. Writing for The Atlantic, Alexis Madrigal perhaps describes it best;
“To me, this update is the epitome of what Google does best. The graph makes the process of Googling something faster, easier, and better. The corporate imperative to keep people searching on Google in the face of renewed competition matches up very nicely with consumers’ desires for the best, fastest search experience. That hasn’t always been the case with the company’s social search integration, so this update feels so refreshing. It’s like a friend in the midst of a midlife crisis returning the Porsche and embracing a trusty new four-door.”
(my emphasis)
Exactly. As I’ve written before, I strongly believe that semantic smarts should be hidden very, very deep, and that semantic technologies are at their best when they quietly and unobtrusively make some existing process better. That’s why I like TripIt so much. It gets travel plans into my calendar faster and more accurately than I could type them, and throws in a whole heap of added value as a byproduct of the data ingest process.
Google’s Knowledge Graph is similar; it works with existing search behaviour, and unobtrusively adds a little extra value.
Paul Miller works at the interface between the worlds of Cloud Computing and the Semantic Web, providing the insights that enable you to exploit the next wave as we approach the World Wide Database. He blogs at www.cloudofdata.com.
SParikh wrote: This article speaks true to the importance and capitalizing of the cloud. Me having experience dealing with cloud based tech and consulting and integration services, I realize the need for a secure and consistant cloud service. Many people are concerned with the privacy, or lack thereof, that could occur with storing personal documents into a non-physical storage unit. I can see, though with companies such as ours and Metacloud, we are working toward a more secure and easy to use cloud system for both personal and professional use.
Spursh Parikh
www.sererra.com
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