7 ms·

At least Cuil has some respect for privacy: "We do not keep logs of our users’ search activity." "We analyze the Web, not our users. Read our Privacy Policy f

by kleevr 18y ago

At least Cuil has some respect for privacy: "We do not keep logs of our users’ search activity." "We analyze the Web, not our users. Read our Privacy Policy for details. It’s short." http://www.cuil.com/info/privacy/ http://www.cuil.com/info/privacy/

gaius 18y ago
But Jo(e) User doesn't really care about that, he or she cares about search results. If (and admittedly this is unproven) Google can deliver better search results by logging and analyzing search activity to personalize results, then Cuil is already at a disadvantage.
- deleted 18y ago
  [deleted]
- marcus 18y ago
  How can you call it unproven? When I google for Python I get stuff related to programming because of my search history, when a zoologist looks for Pythons he'll see stuff related to snakes.
  - gaius 18y ago
    Because I don't know what algorithms Cuil are using, I can't say at this stage if they are able to deliver better search results than Google without personalization. Perhaps they're better at contextualization for example, and don't need to know what you did last time. I'm a Python programmer too and the first link I get from Google for 'python' is a Wikipedia article on the Delphic Oracle... Admittedly I have often searched for content relating to Oracle databases!
    - marcus 18y ago
      Context is always helpful and obviously should be used in addition to personal history and even override it, but if the query has little context, the only context you can get is from the users historical data. Personalization doesn't guarantee better results but it obviously improves results.
      - gaius 18y ago
        I'm not saying that's not true, just that Cuil must believe that they don't need it, and it's too soon to see if they're right. I do most of my searches on www.msdewey.com anyway :-)
      - mattjung 18y ago
        Historical data may as well be misleading because the profile of a user is not "static", simply because there's a human being behind it (and sometimes even more than one, but that's another story). His personal and professional environment, his wishes and necessities, the context of his life may change from one day to the other. The assumption that the past queries of a user will improve the results of his current queries is at least questionable (especially for former programmers that start selling reptiles...)
    - ashleyw 18y ago
      Weird, I've searched python once or twice (never really used it) in the past, and don't get a Wikipedia article first, I get http://www.python.org http://www.python.org, then the whole page is filled with python (programming) results. I've never really thought about this, but I'm kinda glad Google logs my results, it helps me out tons by giving me results I want. Plus thier motto is "Don't be Evil"...
  - deleted 18y ago
    [deleted]
  - nailer 18y ago
    I search for python pretty regularly on Google. My recent, logged-in, searches for 'python gecko' resulted in a bunch of reptile sellers.
    - jrockway 18y ago
      I search for programming-related things, and all but two results (both videos) for "python gecko" are about Mozilla bindings for Python. Basically, I am not upset that Google profiles me. I would get upset when my profile is admissible as evidence against me in court, but that's not up to Google. Let's not make searching the web difficult because our legal system is fucked up. Let's fix the legal system.
      - nailer 18y ago
        I think we're probably getting the same page - I get: * YouTube - Leopard gecko and royal python eat mice!! * FS: 2 captive-born Mali Uromastyx - via auction (gargoyle python gecko boa) Reptiles. ... before I get: * Re: [pyxpcom] Python web crawler using Gecko :: ASPN Mail Archive ... I'd have thought, given my history, the reptile versions would come later.
    - 13ren 18y ago
      BTW: your comment comes up 6th on my google search for 'python gecko'. When logged out, the search results are slightly differently ordered.
marijn 18y ago
Exactly. I've seen some Google ads that were a bit too targeted lately -- related to stuff that I searched for last week -- and it is getting spooky. I'd like to have a decent alternative. Maybe I should just get used to Yahoo, but this looks hipper, no? That being said, they haven't indexed my site yet. Amateurs!
- axod 18y ago
  That's very worrying. Adverts people might be interested in shown to them? Cause for concern...
  - marijn 18y ago
    You're probably intentionally missing the point -- but what I was referring to is the fact that they are quite unashamed about retaining data about me.
    - axod 18y ago
      "The browser with this cookie, did these searches previously" I don't think this is worrying. If they start using personal data they hold, sure, but this is just creating a personalized experience. Lots of sites do it. If you don't like them doing it, disable cookies for them...
    - netcan 18y ago
      I don't think that's worrying. If Amazon or Facebook or any other site did it wouldn't even be noticed. I think that's just reaching for a way to fault Google. BTW, an interesting application of personalisation is not so much search ads (They are already pretty much the most targeted ads because search term is enough to target ads with) but content ads (eg adsense). Currently, ads are targeted using relevance to page content/site content or demographics of the users. But search history reveals a lot about interests & could be the key to 'fixing' context advertising (from the advertisers perspective).
- softwarejim 18y ago
  what I find shady is that its against the law to spoof your competitors domain name, but google will allow you to display ads for when people search for your competitor. thats a little underhanded if you ask me
ntoshev 18y ago
This means they miss big opportunities to improve their search results.
thomasmallen 18y ago
"We're working on a new subway system. We're going to base its layout on building patterns rather than where our riders actually go. It would be a violation of privacy, and just plain wrong to check which buses are crowded."

by kleevr 18y ago

gaius 18y ago

But Jo(e) User doesn't really care about that, he or she cares about search results. If (and admittedly this is unproven) Google can deliver better search results by logging and analyzing search activity to personalize results, then Cuil is already at a disadvantage.

deleted 18y ago
[deleted]
marcus 18y ago
How can you call it unproven? When I google for Python I get stuff related to programming because of my search history, when a zoologist looks for Pythons he'll see stuff related to snakes.
- gaius 18y ago
  Because I don't know what algorithms Cuil are using, I can't say at this stage if they are able to deliver better search results than Google without personalization. Perhaps they're better at contextualization for example, and don't need to know what you did last time. I'm a Python programmer too and the first link I get from Google for 'python' is a Wikipedia article on the Delphic Oracle... Admittedly I have often searched for content relating to Oracle databases!
  - marcus 18y ago
    Context is always helpful and obviously should be used in addition to personal history and even override it, but if the query has little context, the only context you can get is from the users historical data. Personalization doesn't guarantee better results but it obviously improves results.
    - gaius 18y ago
      I'm not saying that's not true, just that Cuil must believe that they don't need it, and it's too soon to see if they're right. I do most of my searches on www.msdewey.com anyway :-)
    - mattjung 18y ago
      Historical data may as well be misleading because the profile of a user is not "static", simply because there's a human being behind it (and sometimes even more than one, but that's another story). His personal and professional environment, his wishes and necessities, the context of his life may change from one day to the other. The assumption that the past queries of a user will improve the results of his current queries is at least questionable (especially for former programmers that start selling reptiles...)
  - ashleyw 18y ago
    Weird, I've searched python once or twice (never really used it) in the past, and don't get a Wikipedia article first, I get http://www.python.org http://www.python.org, then the whole page is filled with python (programming) results. I've never really thought about this, but I'm kinda glad Google logs my results, it helps me out tons by giving me results I want. Plus thier motto is "Don't be Evil"...
- deleted 18y ago
  [deleted]
- nailer 18y ago
  I search for python pretty regularly on Google. My recent, logged-in, searches for 'python gecko' resulted in a bunch of reptile sellers.
  - jrockway 18y ago
    I search for programming-related things, and all but two results (both videos) for "python gecko" are about Mozilla bindings for Python. Basically, I am not upset that Google profiles me. I would get upset when my profile is admissible as evidence against me in court, but that's not up to Google. Let's not make searching the web difficult because our legal system is fucked up. Let's fix the legal system.
    - nailer 18y ago
      I think we're probably getting the same page - I get: * YouTube - Leopard gecko and royal python eat mice!! * FS: 2 captive-born Mali Uromastyx - via auction (gargoyle python gecko boa) Reptiles. ... before I get: * Re: [pyxpcom] Python web crawler using Gecko :: ASPN Mail Archive ... I'd have thought, given my history, the reptile versions would come later.
  - 13ren 18y ago
    BTW: your comment comes up 6th on my google search for 'python gecko'. When logged out, the search results are slightly differently ordered.

marijn 18y ago

Exactly. I've seen some Google ads that were a bit too targeted lately -- related to stuff that I searched for last week -- and it is getting spooky. I'd like to have a decent alternative. Maybe I should just get used to Yahoo, but this looks hipper, no? That being said, they haven't indexed my site yet. Amateurs!

axod 18y ago
That's very worrying. Adverts people might be interested in shown to them? Cause for concern...
- marijn 18y ago
  You're probably intentionally missing the point -- but what I was referring to is the fact that they are quite unashamed about retaining data about me.
  - axod 18y ago
    "The browser with this cookie, did these searches previously" I don't think this is worrying. If they start using personal data they hold, sure, but this is just creating a personalized experience. Lots of sites do it. If you don't like them doing it, disable cookies for them...
  - netcan 18y ago
    I don't think that's worrying. If Amazon or Facebook or any other site did it wouldn't even be noticed. I think that's just reaching for a way to fault Google. BTW, an interesting application of personalisation is not so much search ads (They are already pretty much the most targeted ads because search term is enough to target ads with) but content ads (eg adsense). Currently, ads are targeted using relevance to page content/site content or demographics of the users. But search history reveals a lot about interests & could be the key to 'fixing' context advertising (from the advertisers perspective).
softwarejim 18y ago
what I find shady is that its against the law to spoof your competitors domain name, but google will allow you to display ads for when people search for your competitor. thats a little underhanded if you ask me

ntoshev 18y ago

This means they miss big opportunities to improve their search results.

thomasmallen 18y ago

"We're working on a new subway system. We're going to base its layout on building patterns rather than where our riders actually go. It would be a violation of privacy, and just plain wrong to check which buses are crowded."