CPS 49S
Google: The Computer Science
Within and its Impact on Society
Shivnath Babu
Spring 2007
Discussion Format
• Talk for 10-15 minutes
– Give an overview
• Give an outline the discussion points that you
have come up with
• Need a scribe
– Volunteer?
The Database of Intensions
• Introductory chapter of the book by John Battelle
on Search
• Talks about how Battelle came to write this book
– His start-up folded
– Zeitgeist
– A book about search
• Shows sides of Google that you may not have
thought about
Discussion Points
• Database of Intensions (DBI)
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What is it and how does Google get it?
Is it specific to Google?
How can Google use it?
How can Google “abuse” it?
What prevents Google from “abusing” it?
Discussion Points
• What technological and social
changes/advances make it possible to store and
query DBI?
Discussion Points
• “Search as a problem is about 5% solved”
– Udi Manber, CEO of A9.com (now at Google!)
Discussion Points
• Interesting terms:
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Media business (pages 3-4)
PATRIOT ACT (page 14)
Turing test (page 16)
Directory-based search (page 17)
Second-generation web applications (pages 14,11,7)
Assigned Readings
• For Thursday (1/18)
– Early paper by the “Google guys”
– Posted on the course readings web page