Google machine versus Wiki human battle for search supremacy

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 27 December 2006 16:30

Your IT - Home IT

Two of the most recognizable words that have entered the lexicon of the English language via the Internet are Google and Wiki. Now the two organizations that have spawned words that have come to be synonomous with online search and online information repository are set to do battle on Google's home turf.

Google is the undisputed king of the online search space with a market share equal or greater than all of its rivals combined. However, the totally automated computer-based nature of Google searches have been criticized for having limitations in finding certain types of information on specific topics.

In fact, many Google searches lead users to the Wikipedia site in order to find information. Wikipedia, while nowhere near as comprehensive in its scope as Google, presents users with a quick and easy way to find information on specific topics.

Wikipedia itself has been criticised by observers for relying on unvetted and sometimes inaccurate submissions from the public leading to questions about whether information stored on the Wikipedia can be trusted. However, there are many, including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and powerful financial backers including Amazon.com, who believe that a human based search system called Wikiasari could mount a serious challenge to the dispassionate algorithmic based solution of Google.

Wikiasari will not be the first search engine based on human judgement. In the mid-90s, Looksmart was launched, which initially relied solely on a legion of human editors. Despite a promising start on the Nasdaq, Looksmart declined in the wake of stiff competition from the likes of Google, Yahoo and Microsoft, all of which use computer-based search technology.

Wikipedia's rise as an information repository has been impressive. However, despite the not-for-profit foundation's high profile and growing popularity, mounting a challenge to cash machine Google as the number one search destination is a tough assignment.