Are Google and the Semantic Web "NetNeutral" ?


There's recent news that Google's new SearchWiki will let people tailor their search results to be restricted to a few specific sites. In that way, users can cut out the clutter of sites they don't want to visit, and focus only on those they want. If they prefer articles from the New York Times over the Washington Post, say, they can now influence those results directly.


The idea isn't completely new. Most search engines allow site specific searches if you include a tag like url:website.com, or site:website.com. This, however, allows you to frequently search from a specific array of sites all the time. While it won't be your ownly results, the results will be weighted in their favor. And overtime, the Searchwiki could influence the results others see. For more details read .

While I'm all for optimized searching, but I'm a stronger advocate of Net Neutrality. I'm still not entirely decided whether this breaches any Net Neutrality, but it certainly raises some concern in my mind. The loophole around the Net Neutrality is that it's specified by the user, and not Google - and in that sense, Google remains neutral. But regardless, I wonder of it's likelihood to kills a (somewhat) level playing field.

Take Wikipedia right now. There's many other attempts at a Wiki-like encyclopedia, though Wikipedia is unarguably the largest. While I personally dislike some of Wikipedia's rules, I end up using them more than any of the alternatives. But I would never rate them higher than the more traditionally reputable sources. Besides that however, what about the many other websites that are trying to compete with Wikipedia? They may be smaller, and by virtue of the fact that Wiki-sites rely on user participation they may be less reliable - but if they're swept under the rug, then what? Wikipedia is the only option?

The danger, as I see it, is that Google could be creating an environment where people don't become neutral about websites - and then it becomes increasingly difficult to reach users in an already competitive world. It's like being able to customize your annual YellowPages such that you only get the stores that you want. Sure the YellowPages could become a far more useful tool - but only for getting you what you want. It doesn't help you discover what's new. It's about getting you what you don't know about. What good is a book that has only Domino's Pizza and Pappa John's pizza listed, even if they're the two you order from 90% of the time?

Maybe the mentality is that if a pizzeria were to pop up that had great pizza, it would get noticed simply by its great product. Perhaps... but perhaps not. Great ideas are born every day on the internet, and die out just as rapidly because they aren't getting the audience they want - most often because an already established website adopts a similar product.

The Semantic Web is, perhaps, at risk of creating a non-neutral environment. I guess it all comes down to the users at that point.

So the question remains - is user-control a good or bad thing?

Popular

Let's Clear Up The Ambiguity!

Image
Job seeking is hard - especially when you factor the ambiguity around expectations, the lack of transparency and consistency around process. It's frustrating dealing with the sheer subjectivity of everyone's opinions. Just think of even the basics: How long should your resume really be? Traditional black and white, or modern? Should you include a headshot? Oh - and cover letters - are those needed? Is anyone actually reading the cover letter? What are they looking for? Is there a bias for people with a more traditional background? Worst of all: The dreaded typo  that you catch only after applying to your dream job.  Are typos really going to cost you the opportunity??? To help bring some clarity to the process, I surveyed a bunch of hiring managers. The results were really interesting, and very illuminating.     If you're on the job hunt, I hope this information helps out! One final note: My recent post,  7 Steps to Writing an Amazing Resume , factors a lot of this feedba
Read more

Work Experience vs Professional Experience

Image
In reviewing a bunch of resumes this week, I noticed quite a lot of resumes with a  "Work Experience"  section. In each of those resumes, people had de-valuing some very valuable  experience - and I write that with no exaggeration. The problem is people were looking at their experience purely through the "Job Title/Relevancy" lens and had reduced their experience down to a list of discrete, random, disconnected jobs. No interconnectedness, no narrative thread weaving through it all. As much as you may feel some jobs have no way of being connected, the reality is  you   are always the connection . To not connect them on your resume is to lose all that growth, knowledge, skills, impact, value, and trajectory. In other words - you lose the " You " in the resume. I recommended they start with a small change. Reword "Work Experience" to "Professional Experience" because, ultimately, every single job they had was in service of building their
Read more

FAQs for a Software Engineering Hiring Manager

Image
Technical Interviews have evolved a lot since the early I transitioned from being a Software Engineer to an Engineering Manager. Particularly in the post-Covid era, there's been a greater emphasis on the person, which I think is an important and welcome change. Over the decade of interviewing hundreds of coders, I've also had the pleasure of working with various bootcamps, colleges, and hundreds of individual job seekers on LinkedIn. Across all the changes over the past years, across the various locations and mediums, something remained consistent throughout: The questions I get asked.  With that in mind, I thought - why not make a FAQ from my perspective as a hiring manager? While this is my perspective, it's based off years of observation and supporting data. But that being said, advice is not fact. You may disagree with certain points, and that's OK. Opinions we disagree with allow us to better understand our own views. At best, I hope these responses help you
Read more

7 Steps to Writing an Amazing Resume

Image
  Since sharing my resume template  I've received plenty of feedback from job seekers, HR and hiring managers - all of whom value its purpose. Two (now former!) jobseekers even shared that as soon as they used my template, they were getting calls. Something about this template works, and given the traction it's getting others, I wanted to share - in more detail - why  this approach works so well.  Before continuing, let me give an important disclaimer: This resume isn't a miracle cure that's going to land anyone their dream job. Unless they're filled with lies, resumes are only as good as the candidate themselves. But they can also be a whole lot worse. This template and approach are all about maximizing the potential candidates have by highlighting and summarizing key areas.  Last point before beginning: If you don't know me, it's worth stating this advice comes from more than a decade of having hiring a broad range of coders: straight out of college, high
Read more

7 Steps to Building your Portfolio MVP

Image
Often when I suggest to coders that they build a portfolio, I'll hear back: "I don't need one..." "With all the effort it takes to apply, where will I find the time?" Simply put, having a portfolio's never going to hurt your chances at landing a job - it can only help. That second question is where a lot of struggle - because applying to jobs can be time consuming. Especially if you're wrapping up a bootcamp, or having to manually type in your resume info after uploading your resume. That's why I made these 7 steps which, when done correctly, can really help you stand out with a hiring manager. And, the best part is, it should only take you 2 days. Being the Agile-Obsessive that I am, it's all about maximizing value while minimizing effort. Fix links to your Resume, GitHub, LinkedIn, etc. at the top where they're always accessible. Link to everything here - and then remove all other links on your Resume except your Portfolio link . It sa
Read more