[Web4lib] Web4lib: Wikipedia

[Lars Aronsson]

Tim Spalding wrote:
> This isn't so. Google isn't deciding between Wikipedia and published
> reference sources. Virtually no published sources are actually on the
> open web, where people could link to them and use them, and it's links
> that drive the Google algorithm.(1)
>
> Pick any list of standard reference sources you like. They're not
> competing with Wikipedia. They're in a separate universe of content.

Who is forcing Google to keep printed books
separate from web search? Who is forcing
people to use Google? As far as I know: nobody!
Once the books are scanned, I don't think they
are in a separate universe, any more than HTML
and PDF files are in separate universes.

I would be surprised if Google never considered
to present book advice ahead of Wikipedia hits.

It might read: Hit 1: This good, reliable book,
used as a textbook at many top universities. No
preview available for free, but it can be bought.
Hit 2: Article in Wikipedia, available free, but
written and updated by anonymous teenagers.

If the management of Google thought this would
make more people happy, they could integrate book
search and web search. They could even do it for
users who wanted that, and keep the services
separate for other users. I don't know what's
stopping them. Maybe they are just awaiting full
go-ahead on the book search settlement.


-- 
  Lars Aronsson (lars at aronsson.se)
  Aronsson Datateknik - http://aronsson.se