[Web4lib] Google Base, any libraries starting to use this service

[Mark Jordan]

Hi David,

Google innovates again... first it was impact factor, this time it's submitter-generated metadata. When you add sites,
you choose an "item type" (events and activities, jobs, news and articles, products, recipes, reference articles,
etc., as you point out), and you then add "attributes", which are "words or phrases that help describe the
characteristics and qualities of your items" (all quotes from the help docs or FAQs).

Sounds familiar. Let's hope they don't patent it.

Mark


On Mon, Nov 21, 2005 at 07:56:57PM -0800, D.H. Mattison wrote:
> Nov 21, 2005
> 
> WEB4LIBBERS:
> 
> I came across the new Google Base (beta; http://base.google.com/) service
> today, checked the WEB4LIB Archives, saw no mention, so am now wondering if
> any libraries have started using this service. It was only launched on
> November 17, so can't blame you if your attention's been diverted by the
> Google Print/Google Book Search thread.
> 
> Among the kinds of contents Google will host and make searchable are
> 
> "blogs ... course schedules - events and activities - jobs - news and
> articles - people profiles ... reference articles - reviews - ... wanted
> ads - ..."
> 
> It appears as though you can add up to 10 pictures per item in the .gif,
> .jpg, .png, or .tif formats. A Google Account is required to publish and
> edit your content.
> 
> Lots of possibilities here, though the instructions in the Help Center leave
> a lot to be desired, as does the initial interface. Blogs are one of the
> categories, but they don't appear in the dropdown category list. If you type
> in Blogs in the "Create your own item type:" field, the next screen displays
> a database record for a blog.
> 
> Google appears to be relying on others to keep the service clean and honest.
> You're encouraged to "Report bad item" (one that doesn't comply with the
> Google Base policy).
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> David Mattison
> Victoria, BC, Canada
> dmattison at shaw.ca
> Tiki Wiki Hut: http://www.davidmattison.ca/tiki
> Ten Thousand Year Blog: http://www.davidmattison.ca/wordpress
> 
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