Note: This column represents the opinions
of the writer and as such, is not purported as fact
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At last,
the contents of Aardvark's "million-dollar ideas" notebook
are revealed for all to see!
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Let's end the week on a high note...
Worst User Manuals
Technical Standards Inc recently ran a contest to find the worst user manuals
-- here are the results.
Microsoft Creates GOD
The MSNŽ network of Internet
services, with more than 270 billion unique reboots worldwide, today announced
the addition of the Gates Open Directory (GOD).
The Official Ninja Webpage
All you ever wanted to know about Ninjas -- and (unfortunately) a lot more.
EnVaDoR's ToiletPC
It's sure different -- but I don't know that it's going to be to everyone's
taste. Yuck!
Aardvark's Web-site Survey Service
If you're launching a new website, upgrading an existing
one, or just frustrated that your web-presence isn't performing as it should then
maybe you need an Aardvark Site Survey.
Read more...
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How Dumb Is This?
Google is the undisputed king of the search engines. It alone accounts
for 58% of all search-engine sourced hits on this website with its nearest
competitor (Yahoo) coming in a distant second at just 24%.
Recently a "pretender" to the crown announced its intentions to challenge
Google for dominance.
Teoma is claiming that a
new and unique ranking system (called "Subject-Specific Popularity") will make
its results even more relevant than those of its competitors.
Is this true? Could Google be about to tumble?
Well I don't think so.
Based on my own little tests, Teoma's ranking technology just doesn't live
up to the promises made for it.
In the searches I conducted, the ranking provided by Teoma was almost always
inferior to that coughed up by Google -- and Google's database clearly
has more depth to it as well.
What's more, Teoma may have spent lots of time and effort in an attempt to
improve its ranking algorithms but they still don't have google's killer
features: page caching, language translation, and "view as HTML".
However, all these deficiencies pale into insignificance compared to the site's
main "how dumb is this" feature...
As far as I can see, there's no way to add your site to its database without
paying a fee!
Teoma is not alone in this "we don't want your site unless you're prepared
to pay" attitude. LookSmart
also switched to a "paid listings only" option quite some time ago.
It's interesting to note how far LookSmart has fallen in terms of its popularity
since choosing this path -- and I suspect it's something that's also going to
scuttle Teoma's attempt to take on Google.
Let's face it -- people want their chosen search engine to be as comprehensive
as possible and this is where Google scores big-time. Why even bother with
a search engine that, by charging for listing, restricts itself to just a subset
of Google's content -- even if it might produce more accurately ranked results
(which it doesn't).
The need for a comprehensive and up to date database has been demonstrated
by the very rapid demise of AltaVista
which stopped updating its database about a year ago and now produces just
5% of search-engine referrals to this site.
Even Yahoo, which also used to carry the search-engine/directory crown at one
time has suffered from its "pay up to list" attitude. Although Yahoo will
accept unpaid listings, it seems as if it might deliberately delay or ignore
such submissions in favour of those who are prepared to cough up several hundred
dollars to get "priority consideration."
What's your favourite search engine and why?
Do you even bother with the has-beens like AltaVista or the pretenders such
as Teoma?
Have your say.
Oh yes, I'm thinking of updating my little series on how to promote and
build traffic to your website. I last published this well over a year
ago and, given the changes that have taken place since then, I thought
it might be worth revising and republishing. Should I bother?
Aardvark's Garage Sale
It's time to clear out the closet here at Aardvark's country residence so I'm
having a bit of a garage sale. I need to spend a whole lot more time
and money on my jet engine R&D activities (now that the defense industry
has shown a very real interest) -- so I'm trying to scrape up some more cash.
I'm selling my pulsejet manufacturing business. This would be
perfect for either a semi-retired engineer/machinist who wants to earn some
pretty good money building these things and exporting them to the world -- or
an established engineering shop who want to break into a new (very export
oriented) market.
I can provide an ongoing stream of orders through my website and since
I've run out of time to meet the demand, the sale will include a growing
"waiting list" of new customers ready to place their orders.
Anyone interested in any of these things should
drop me a line.
Add Aardvark To Your Own Website!
Got a moment? Want a little extra fresh content for your own website or
page?
Just add a
couple of lines of JavaScript
to your pages and you can get
a free summary of Aardvark's daily commentary -- automatically updated
each and every week-day.
Aardvark also makes a summary of this daily column available via XML using
the RSS format. More details can be found
here.
Contact me if you decide to use either of these feeds and
have any problems.
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Did you tell someone else about Aardvark today? If not then do it
now!
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