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utilitus
This article dramatizes how little real engineering goes on at Facebook. ...
IDontUseTheForumSoWhyAmIForcedToMakeANickname
I traveled extensively around the world and the first rule is: Never visit a ...
Facebook's ex-Google guy talks social search
Rick Merritt
1/16/2013 12:30 AM EST
Facebook vs. Google
The effort to personalize search puts Facebook into direct competition with Google, although Zuckerberg repeatedly said Graph Search is radically different from Web search. Nevertheless, Facebook struck a partnership with Microsoft to show Web search results from its Bing search engine when the Facebook Graph Search does not return results.
“I don’t think people will start coming to Facebook for Web searches, but we will be able to find material as good as anywhere else,” Zuckerberg said. “I would love to work with Google--this wasn’t a thing we were trying to do with Bing,” he said.
“My sense is Google has a system of how they deal with [personal] information and our system is different and that was the biggest stumbling block,” he said, describing a new set of privacy tools Facebook is rolling out in tandem with Graph Search. “It may be a symptom of a bigger rift, but that was where negotiations fell apart the last time we talked to them,” he added.
In the end, the mission should give Larry and Sergy pause. “We want to make search more social,” Zuckerberg said.
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Rasmussen and Zuckerberg take questions at the press conference.
The effort to personalize search puts Facebook into direct competition with Google, although Zuckerberg repeatedly said Graph Search is radically different from Web search. Nevertheless, Facebook struck a partnership with Microsoft to show Web search results from its Bing search engine when the Facebook Graph Search does not return results.
“I don’t think people will start coming to Facebook for Web searches, but we will be able to find material as good as anywhere else,” Zuckerberg said. “I would love to work with Google--this wasn’t a thing we were trying to do with Bing,” he said.
“My sense is Google has a system of how they deal with [personal] information and our system is different and that was the biggest stumbling block,” he said, describing a new set of privacy tools Facebook is rolling out in tandem with Graph Search. “It may be a symptom of a bigger rift, but that was where negotiations fell apart the last time we talked to them,” he added.
In the end, the mission should give Larry and Sergy pause. “We want to make search more social,” Zuckerberg said.
Related stories:
Facebook opens data center, server designs
I got Googled and survived
Rasmussen and Zuckerberg take questions at the press conference.
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iniewski
1/16/2013 12:21 PM EST
I don't think this will work...it will be another flop as Waive
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Robotics Developer
1/16/2013 2:58 PM EST
Iniewski, I agree with you! I have been moving away from Facebook use more and more each day. I can't imagine needing to graphically search my friends opinions rather than ASK them (or already know!). This seems to be a non-starter search engine aimed possibly at those who don't interact with their "friends" or don't want to. Maybe this will be next big "Waive" but I am not holding my breath.
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elPresidente
1/17/2013 2:50 AM EST
Google's search engines have totally sucked as a useful tool over the past couple of years.
You can have your "personal" road for search - as an engineer, I don't want anything do with anything that's not UNBIASED, unpaid-for, facts and, preferably, is as socially devoid of BS as the machines I build.
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rick.merritt
1/17/2013 2:53 AM EST
I see two sides of this coin:
Facebook has some wonderfully personal data sets tied to the hearts and minds of its users.
But those data sets are inherently subjective, limited to Fbook users.
In any case, I am interested in the software workloads that are driving 1) the cloud and 2) software engineering and Facebook is one of a handful of the big drivers.
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rick.merritt
1/17/2013 3:15 AM EST
Search Graph is shrewd in the way it encourages more users to share and put meta data on more of their stuff, in the process increasing the use and value of Facebook's database.
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IDontUseTheForumSoWhyAmIForcedToMakeANickname
1/17/2013 12:12 PM EST
Well put, I see it more of a way to monetize personal searches. If I can strategically place an ad/link for a product that one of my friends has talked or posted about, then chances are I'm more likely to click on it. And since facebook really has no real revenue source, you can bet your shareholder equity that this is a no brainer.
Facebook has the unique position of OWNING all the personal data that you're willing to post about yourself. Age, maritial status, sex, location, likes, dislikes, friends, hobbies ... you name it. It's a marketer's wet dream. Monetizing that information is one of the biggest reasons for facebook having its IPO. Social Graph is merely one step in the process.
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Rick@DassaultSystemes
1/17/2013 12:54 PM EST
Thinking beyond the initial release of this function, it looks like Facebook is venturing beyond the search into "Search-based Applications". I've been learning about this through Exalead, a company that was acquired by Dassault Systemes (where I work). It's been very interesting learning about SBAs. What I've learned from experience and from customers over the years is that getting data into a system is one problem, but the key value is how to get information out of a system. The more intelligence that can be added to that process, the more useful the data. Pretty cool and useful stuff. Feel free to check in with the Exalead team. But I applaud the efforts.
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selinz
1/17/2013 1:05 PM EST
Sounds very interesting.... The interesting aspect is how much user data will be "spread."
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Frank Eory
1/17/2013 4:00 PM EST
There is great potential here, but it sounds like it may take years to realize that potential.
Graph Search does however, seem like an essential "third pillar" for Facebook. One of the biggest problems with the timeline & newsfeed is their linear chronological nature. In theory, one could scroll down indefinitely through his newsfeed or a friend's timeline to look for a past event of interest, but that is far too cumbersome and time-consuming for most people.
In addition to the examples mentioned in the demo, vacation travel is another good one that comes to mind. If I'm planning a trip somewhere, I would find it very useful to be able to search my FB friends to find out who has been there, where did they stay, etc., and then contact them for advice and recommendations. Such personal recommendations from trusted sources are an advertiser's dream.
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przem
1/19/2013 8:43 PM EST
@Frank---absolutely right. I always asked what do the locals do, and followed there.. I ask my friends and recently scour places like Reddit or Facebook what _they_ like to do in their town because, obviously, they aren't going to follow standard guide advice.
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IDontUseTheForumSoWhyAmIForcedToMakeANickname
1/21/2013 10:04 AM EST
I traveled extensively around the world and the first rule is: Never visit a restaurant that's advertised in the booklet left in your hotel room (unless you want a so-so meal).
I'll ask at the hotel's front desk where's a good place to eat. When they come back with the standard recommendations from the hotel book, I immediately follow up with 'Where would you personally eat?' and the responses are ALWAYS different. Locals tend to know the best meals, deals & places to go. Brochures only promote those that paid to attract business. Great places don't need to advertise because word of mouth will keep them open or close them down. Locals are the key because they live there and visit these places themselves.
Sure, I could check someones facebook page and hope they recommended something in the town I'm visiting ... call me old fashioned, but I'd rather talk to them directly about the full experience. That way, I can better understand why they rated it high or low.
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nannasin28
1/21/2013 3:29 AM EST
then chances are I'm more likely to click on it. http://www.hqew.net
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utilitus
1/22/2013 2:40 PM EST
This article dramatizes how little real engineering goes on at Facebook. Zuckerburgs' Erdös number is infinity.
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