Boost a Public Facing Web Site with a Design to Find
August 27, 2012
When it comes to providing users with a powerful search and getting the most from your content, look to experts in the field. At Fabasoft Mindbreeze, they have developed a suite of solutions that combines the power of search with information pairing, the Cloud, and smartphone and tablet mobility.
It is clear that Cloud hosting is becoming a go to data solution for organizations around the globe. Fabasoft Mindbreeze understands the need for expanded information access the save users valuable time when it comes to search. The same principle holds true for your Web site. Here you can read about the Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite solution:
An attractive website serves as an effective digital business card. Surprise your website visitors with an intuitive search.
Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite…
* is intuitive and user friendly.
* is instantly ready for use as a Cloud service. It turns your website into a user-friendly knowledge portal for your customers.
* recognizes correlations and links through semantic and dynamic search processes. This delivers pinpoint accurate and precise “finding experiences”.
* is the perfect website search for your company.
No installation, configuration or maintenance required.
We also like Mindbreeze’s impressive portfolio of references and customers. Dr. Manfred Weiss of Computerwelt, Austria has this to say about the InSite solution:
We want stand out from the crowds with a top internet presence. Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite is a part of this strategy. Our readers value the service of a perfect search. Regardless in which of our portals the information is available, Mindbreeze finds what you’re looking for. Since the search function is operated as a Cloud service, we save time and money.
Read more at www.Mindbreeze.com.
Philip West, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
More on Exalead Please
August 27, 2012
On the Q2 Dassault conference call, there was a brief mention of one of our favorite companies, Exalead. Seaking Alpha serves up the conversation in “Dassault Systemes’ CEO Discusses Q2 2012 Results (Afternoon Call)- Earnings Call Transcript.”
We have long been interested in Exalead, and applauded Dassault’s decision purchase the business and invest resources in expanding it, rather than simply licensing its technology. So, how have things been going? When Dessault president and CEO Bernard Charles was asked about any general plans to provide a lifecycle management solution, he noted in part:
“. . . there is one thing we are doing in a completely different way maybe you have heard about it so I want to connect this to that point. We are now providing extremely innovative spare part management systems which are based on completely revolutionary platform using EXALEAD which has proven to provide amazing results that are very different from traditional implementation of spare parts systems potential available or proximities to talk about it. Jay? Next question?”
Wait, next question? But we want to know more! Oh, well. Not much discussion about Exalead, I’m afraid. Perhaps next quarter.
Exalead was founded in 2000 and purchased by engineering powerhouse Dassault in 2010. Exalead’s CloudView platform is uniquely capable of seamlessly integrating structured and unstructured data. We find their approach to be stable, offering platform flexibility, mobile search, and mash-ups. Oh, and their solutions are more affordable than much of the competition.
Cynthia Murrell, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Atigeo Releases Medical Research Search Application
August 27, 2012
A big data analytics company, Atigeo, is making strides in the health care field with a new application that searches the federal database to produce more relevant medical data search results.
Atigeo has launched PubMed Explorer which allows users to search the National Institute of Health’s PubMed database to present results of medical studies based on context in a graphical display.
A story on eWeek.com, “Atigeo Launches Big Data Semantic Search Tool Using NIH PubMed,” tells us more about the product. We learn that the product uses Atigeo’s xPatterns big data semantic search platform in the cloud to fine-tune search results to help the program learn user’s search patterns. This makes for quicker medical research. The article states:
“‘Our goal is to provide medical researchers with the appropriate tools to shorten research cycles, enable breakthroughs and ultimately improve our health,’ Michael Sandoval, chairman and CEO of Atigeo, said in a statement.
PubMed Explorer acts as a domain expert in which an algorithm extracts relevant terms from research studies or clinical EHRs and generates a graph of connections between the documents and discovered data, Burgess explained.”
Over time, this tool can learn the context of searches and the manner in which the query relates to the data can change. A demonstration is available here. These capabilities can help reduce errors in the health care field and facilitate better and faster research.
Andrea Hayden, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Inmagic Releases Presto with Web Publishing Capabilities
August 27, 2012
A new product is available from Inmagic that will enable many advanced Web-publishing capabilities for current DB/Text users.
The product, Presto for DB/Text, was created by the company to work with its current full featured, Web-based library management system and will enable new Web-publishing abilities while still allowing textbases to continue to be created and maintained in DB/Text. According to a post on Inmagic Inc. blog titled, “Announcing ‘Presto for DB/Text’,” capabilities include the ability to easily search across all textbases at once and display results in one view as well as integration of social features. We learn:
“Presto for DB/Text has been designed for customers that require advanced web-publishing capabilities without the need for custom programming, which is often necessary when using WebPublisher PRO. Presto for DB/Text does not replace WebPublisher PRO, however — WebPublisher PRO will continue to be enhanced and supported. Presto for DB/Text just gives DB/Text customers an additional option for publishing information to the Internet or their intranet.”
Additional (albeit optional and at a cost to the customer,) features include SharePoint integration, federated search, and the ability to add and create native Presto databases/content types. We are interested to see more from the company and are excited about these available features.
Andrea Hayden, August 27, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
The Future: Computing Toasters and Microwave Ovens for Search
August 24, 2012
After floundering around Denali National Park, I had a backlog of stories which Overflight flagged as “must reads.” One, which caught my attention, was “Fewer and Fewer People Want to Know about Computers, Says Google.” I took a look at the write up.
The first thing which hit me was that the article was pegged to Google Trends. If you are not familiar with this service, navigate to Google Trends. Type in your search terms and hit “Search Trends.” Google taps into some of its data to generate a chart which purports to show the number of queries for the terms over the timeline. I ran this query on August 23, 2012, tablet, notebook computer. Google happily displayed:
Despite the lousy Web log graphics, the flat red line represents search for notebook computers. The squiggly blue line shows queries for the word “tablet.” Now there is an issue with disambiguation of “tablet” but no degree in math is needed to see that the squiggly blue line alleged shows more queries for “tablets.” The chart tell a search engine optimization maven that buying the word “tablet” will get more traffic than the phrase “notebook computer.” An SEO expert will also figure out that the cost of the word tablet might be higher than buying the phrase “notebook computer.”
Yum. Information pizza. Filling and really good for your brain.
Now back to the write up and the phrase “Says Google.” Google is not saying anything. A person ran queries and received data. One never knows how comprehensive the data set available to Google Trends is. Furthermore, I am not sure I know how the data sets are generated.
The article reports what I already knew. Each time Dell or Hewlett Packard releases its financial reports, I am reminded that certain mainstay computing products are not selling like hot cakes. HP’s printer ink business was down. Dell’s hardware sales were down. Non Apple tablets are non-starters. Fancy Dan consultants generate massive reports about the shift to mobile devices. On a personal front, at meetings I see more iPads than 15 inch notebook computers. The small form factor netbooks have mostly disappeared from the circles in which I travel.
What about the phrase “Fewer People Want to Know about Computers”? I have worked in various technology centric businesses for more than 50 years. Guess what I learned on my first day at Halliburton Nuclear in 1972? I learned that at a subsidiary with more than 600 nuclear engineers, only a tiny fraction of the professionals wanted to learn about computers.
Flash forward 50 years. Most people don’t want to learn about computers. If you happen to work at a company which is steeped in computer hardware and software, the interest in computing technology is quite high. However, when one asks one of these experts to fix a dead laptop, does that person eagerly volunteer to disassemble your machine, replace a dead hard drive, and reinstall and operating system and applications? My experience is that modern assembly methods make today’s gizmos tough to fix.
I may know how to take apart an iMac, and iPhone, or a Toshiba laptop. But I don’t want to do it, never did. Even a trivial fix such as replacing a VGA port with a bent pin can be an exercise in frustration. I don’t want to go through the drill of locating a disassembly guide, finding my sets of electronics screwdrivers, getting my magnifying gizmo set up, and repairing the system. The components are tiny. I have other work to do. Do you really want to reinstall OSX or Windows on your mother’s PC? So consumerization is here.
The larger issue is, “What does this mean about understanding information access?”l
With folks just wanting a tablet or mobile phone to work, I believe that many people will accept what the provider or vendor delivers. With the gap between those who learn zip in high school and college, figuring out that information payloads are shaped will be impossible and possibly irrelevant any way. For those lucky dogs who are in the technology flow, I understand the opportunity to take advantage of those operating at a lower clock speed, with less RAM, and a flawed storage device.
Once I thought that a search should return objective, high value results. I have learned that search systems have to allow system administrators to boost certain content. The app revolution generates money when the app delivers an experience which is similar to a microwaved pizza. Some calories, lots of fat, and quickly and easy to cook.
I don’t need a Google Trend chart to make clear the business opportunities consumerization presents.
Stephen E Arnold, August 24, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
Hardware and Software Requirements for SharePoint 2013 Explained
August 24, 2012
In his post, “SharePoint 2013: A Look at Hardware, Software and Other Requirements,” Wictor Wilen explains some requirements users should expect with the upcoming SharePoint 2013 release. Wilen summarizes:
A few new requirements and increased hardware resources compared to SharePoint 2010. But this is all about planning – you cannot just take the requirement and apply that onto your SharePoint 2013 farm, you need to evaluate your farm design and test it. Over the next few months I expect to see some great design samples including metrics from MSIT and of course gain experience from the 2013 engagements starting now…
As far as operating systems, SharePoint 2013 will support Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2012. Database servers, .NET Framwork, and hardware requirements are also discussed. If you are thinking to migrate or adopt the new release, you may want to check out Wilen’s summary as you make your plans.
And while SharePoint adoption continues to grow and the platform develops, you may want to consider a cost-effective solution available now to boost your farm. A comprehensive third party application worth a second look is the suite of solutions available from Fabasoft Mindbreeze. With clear navigation and a self-explanatory interface, Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise facilitates findability. No install solutions are also available, including Mindbreeze InSite.
Philip West, August 24, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Mindbreeze InSite Delivers Powerful Search for Computerwelt Austria
August 23, 2012
Collaboration and advanced social technology is inevitable as business gets social. To keep up in the game, boost your Web site with a search feature that connects users to the right information efficiently and effectively every time. To tap into the possibilities consider looking into a third party solution with references to back up their product to complete your search system.
We like Fabasoft Mindbreeze. The Mindbreeze solution:
smoothly integrates itself into your website so that the user doesn’t even realize that Cloud services are working in the background. Furthermore, InSite always knows what a user is interested in. Navigation behavior on the website serves as the basis for recognizing their interests. If the user finds themselves on one of your sub-pages on the topic mobility for example, even at this level Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite still displays further information such as blogs, news, Wikipedia etc. on the relevant topic.
To learn more, check out Computerwelt, Austria’s case study. Here you can read about the task at hand for Computerwelt:A professional internet presence is a quality criterion for a leading IT publication. COMPUTERWELT is published on different websites, such as the company database www.top1001.at/ and the portals www.seitenclicke.at, www.itheads.at and www.it-termine.at. Each week brings more than 300 new articles. The existing search was database-based, static and incapable of displaying semantic connections. With Fabasoft Mindbreeze InSite…the user finds relevant information at split-second speed thanks to the program’s semantic capabilities. Moreover, the search is easy to use, intuitive and requires no maintenance effort on the client side.
Check out the full suite of solutions at Mindbreeze to see what works for you.
Philip West, August 23, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
Thunderstone Offers Smooth Transition from Google Mini
August 23, 2012
If you have been using Google Mini as your search appliance of choice, then probably by now you know that you’ve been forcefully exiled. But worry not, Mini refugees. There’s still good news.
Thunderstone, a leading player in search and content processing has announced that they will be offering an upgrade path that will allow Google Mini owners to transition to the Thunderstone Search Appliance smoothly.
The write-up “Thunderstone Provides Special Competitive Upgrade Offer for Google Mini Owners” gives us more details:
“For customers upgrading to the Thunderstone Search Appliance, Thunderstone will honor the remaining warranty and support contract on the Google Mini as an extension to the standard two year support contract on a Thunderstone Search Appliance. In addition Thunderstone will provide assistance in the migration and a 30-day money back guarantee, so that the entire process is painless.”
For a long time, many felt sorry for Thunderstone for having been forced to fight head-on with Google even though they pioneered the search appliance. It’s such a pity that the first runner in the field doesn’t necessarily win. But good thing that it was able to stick around. Now, it even offers a good upgrade package for Google Mini after it was announced that the latter’s production will be discontinued. What a relief for Mini users.
Lauren Llamanzares, August 23, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
IDC Publishes Polyspot Vendor Profile
August 22, 2012
IDC published “Polyspot: Unified Information Access Vendor Offers Flexibility and Performance.” The vendor profile is part of IDC’s open source search series. The document includes IDC’s opinion of the vendor, an overview of the company, its management, and its strategy. The profile explores the future outlook for the company and provides essential guidance about the privately-held firm. Earlier in August 2012, IDC published a vendor profile about LucidWorks.
The report was written by Sue Feldman and Stephen E Arnold with additional assistance provided by Dave Schubmehl, Constance Ard, and Dr. Tyra Oldham.
Stephen E Arnold said:
The emergence of open source search is one of the more notable developments in information retrieval. In the last two years, acquisitions of proprietary search vendors have created an opportunity for open source search solutions. Traditional vendors of closed search systems now face innovators such as LucidWorks and Polyspot. These and a dozen or more other commercial firms offer the cost and technical benefits of open source software as well as robust professional services. Open source search vendors provide viable alternatives to such solutions as HP Autonomy and Oracle Endeca. The many small, Independent vendors of proprietary search technology now face the formidable task of competing with with such companies as IBM Vivisimo and Microsoft Fast as well as solutions from fast-growing open source search providers.
He added:
IDC has licensed ArnoldIT’s exclusive research about open source search and content processing. In addition to the profiles created for IDC, ArnoldIT offers an open source sector analysis which compares the functionality of open source search technology with that of proprietary search vendors. In addition, ArnoldIT maintains a competitive matrix which allows a procurement team or investor to compare market strategies of each vendor with the firms’ actual technical capabilities.
Stephen E Arnold’s publications AppRapids, Beyond Search and Open Search News provide up-to-the-minute coverage of business and technical developments in open source search and content processing.
The new IDC open source search reports represent an important milestone in coverage of this disruptive sector of information retrieval. For more information about ArnoldIT’s open source research, write seaky2000 at yahoo dot com.
Stuart Schram, August 21, 2012
Sponsored by Augmentext
Tips for Empowering User Search in the Enterprise
August 22, 2012
Susan Hanley shares some SharePoint tips in her NetworkWorld.com post, “10 Essential SharePoint Search Hints.” Hanley points out that rich metadata is necessary for improved findability, but users also need to be taught how to search for better results.
Aside from using metadata and meaningful file names and titles, the author has this to say about search suggestions:
Use best bets. A great way to ensure that people can easily find the common things that you know they need in your organization is to create a directed best bet for them. Even if you are not monitoring search logs to identify candidate best bets (which you should be doing, by the way), I can promise you that you know something about what people need to find on your intranet.
We agree with the search tips. Empowered users can really add efficiency to their search and overall production. But to save time and training resources, consider adding a third party solution that gives your users a friendly interface with intuitiveness for search.
Here you can read about Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise:
Highly efficient enterprise search and specific connectors link together data sources in companies and organizations. Be well informed – quickly and accurately. The data often lies distributed across numerous sources. Fabasoft Mindbreeze Enterprise gains each employee two weeks per through focused finding of data (IDC Studies). An invaluable competitive advantage in business as well as providing employee satisfaction.
Read more about the full suite of solutions available from Mindbreeze at http://www.mindbreeze.com/.
Philip West, August 22, 2012
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext.
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