X-Message-Number: 30214
References: <>
From: Kennita Watson <>
Subject: Re: search engines
Date: Wed, 26 Dec 2007 06:10:25 -0800

Robert Ettinger wrote:
> But _Pell_ (http://www.barneypell.com/archives/2006/10/ 
> powerset_and_na.html)
> lays out a  convincing argument that natural language search is  
> important in
> order to  communicate meaning and intent. He uses example searches  
> to make his
> point -     book for children   ,    book by children   , and     
> book about children
>  are all  equivalent to    book children    to search engines  
> today. His core
> argument is that  there may be no way for us to properly express  
> the query
> books by children     without using natural language.

That argument appears to be wrong.
"book for children", "book by children", and "book about children",
(with double quotes, I'm not sure what was used in Robert's text)
which require not natural language but elementary knowledge
of the semantics of the search engine, give very different
results.  "Give me a hard one" :-) . (Actually, the hits returned
from that one could offer some amusement....)

Live long and prosper,
Kennita
--
Register Republican NOW so you can vote for Ron Paul in the
primary (http://www.fec.gov/votregis/vr.shtml) then switch
back.  Also, go to RonPaulBlimp.com -- you could win a ride!

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