Monthly Archives: March 2009

Researcher on Fire

Over the past month and a half, computer science researcher and UQAM Professor Daniel Lemire has been on fire.  He’s written a series of blog posts on what it means to do research and be involved with a research community. … Continue reading

Posted in General | 5 Comments

Collaborative Information Seeking (Ongoing Recap)

Now seems as good a time as any to post a quick recap of the series of collaborative information seeking posts that Gene and I have been writing over on Palblog.  We’re about halfway through the series. Communicating about Collaboration … Continue reading

Posted in Collaborative Information Seeking | 2 Comments

Google Music China launches

Well, the move comes 9 years after I suggested it to ’em, but Google finally launches a music service: http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2009/03/reuters_us_google_china Now, my only question is whether they have simultaneously been researching and implementing intelligent search algorithms to go with the … Continue reading

Posted in Music IR, Social Implications | Leave a comment

Google Claim: Make Algorithms Smart through Data, not Complexity

Google researchers Alon Halevy, Peter Norvig, and Fernando Pereira have an article in IEEE Computer magazine entitled “The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Data“.  The article continues a theme that has been running strong within Google circles for the past half decade … Continue reading

Posted in Information Retrieval Foundations | 3 Comments

Controversial Views and Web Search

Daniel Tunkelang continues to raise provocative and interesting questions over on his blog.  I would like to point readers to the comments section of a recent post.  In one of my own comments there, I raise a question about ad-supported … Continue reading

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Media Gatekeepers and Transparency

PBS has an interesting article on the new media gatekeepers and the need for transparency in the process by which they promote media.  Here is an excerpt: The problem for these new gatekeepers is that they are providing the old … Continue reading

Posted in Explanatory Search, Exploratory Search, Social Implications | 1 Comment

Music Retrieval: Algorithms or Explanatory Context?

At SXSW this year, Paul Lamere of The Echo Nest and Anthony Volodkin of Hype Machine engaged in a head-to-head panel about the utility of: Using computer algorithms (e.g. collaborative filtering, tag-based, content-based, etc.) to automatically recommend music, versus Using … Continue reading

Posted in Explanatory Search, Exploratory Search, Music IR | Leave a comment

Good Interaction Design Trumps Smart Algorithms

Over on the new CACM blog, researcher Tessa Lau has an interesting post on three common misconceptions that folks have about HCI.  I recommend reading the full article, but I would like to call attention to her provocative opening statement … Continue reading

Posted in Information Retrieval Foundations | 4 Comments

Content-Based Audio Search

Long-time Music Information Retrieval researcher Pedro Cano has a new book out, based on his dissertation: “Content-based Audio Search: From Audio Fingerprinting to Semantic Audio Retrieval“.  From the review: Music search sound engines rely on metadata, mostly human generated, to … Continue reading

Posted in Music IR | 3 Comments

Evolutionary Thinking and IR Design

Just the other day I observed that Google, by thinking only evolutionarily and being unable to make leap-based changes, long ago fell into a local maximum trap.  The following blogpost from a designer who is leaving Google appears to reinforce … Continue reading

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