Current news:
I'm taking two classes at UMass Amherst this spring. I'm also applying to grad school in computer science.
I'm giving a small presentation on the dogpile search engine for my web search engines class soon. Its going to be technically focused, which is tough since we aren't really talking that much about meta-search and because most of what I am finding is info about dogpile history and history of the search engine industry. Actually, its helping me investigate something I have been interested in for some time: History of Things which exist on the Web.
So, on this page, I'm possibly writing a small history based on the info I have found on dogpile. I might refer to it in class. But I am not quite sure of the medium here and may remove the info soon after I post it. How much right does one have to quote deja-news archives for instance? It just seems sad that companies get bought, ideas get sold - and we forget how things happened. Or, maybe I am just frustrated that I am still putting together my technical talk with only a few days left and I want to put down all this other info I am getting.
One possible subject for the talk is "Why I like dogpile(again)" - a discussion of how this investigation has gotten me interested again in what was, not so long ago my favorite search engine. I also might reject this as too non technical, but place my thoughts here. This seems on more solid ground somehow - it will mainly just be my opinions and review of a site that is currently there. It would be somewhat of a fan site, combined with a place to put my ideas about how people can use tools like search engines to expand their horizons and expectations, as well as for pointed direct searches