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04/03/2002 Entry: "3-April-2002 -- WebWord Comment"

WebWord Comment -- Teoma is all the rage. I used Teoma many months ago and I was not impressed at all. With all the recent hype, I decided to give Teoma another try. The result? I still don't think it is nearly as useful as Google. Why? Here are two reasons: (1) If I spell something wrong, Google offers me suggestions. (2) I love the Google toolbar. I use it all of the time. What is really going on? Why don't I care about Teoma? It is not significantly better than Google. I'm very comfortable with Google; I find what I want. Almost always. If some other search engine wants me to switch to them, then the value of using that web site must be much higher than Google otherwise it isn't worth my time. If another search engine want me, it better be very sexy and very useful and very easy to use.

Replies: 13 comments

Teoma will not succeed because its URL is difficult to remember and spell. People like us will remember, but hell, I doubt the average person even knows how to pronounce the word when they read it.

Posted by Jack Schonchin @ 04/04/2002 02:43 AM EST

Teoma will not succeed because its URL is difficult to remember and spell. People like us will remember, but hell, I doubt the average person even knows how to pronounce the word when they read it.

Posted by Jack Schonchin @ 04/04/2002 02:43 AM EST

Teoma's sponsored links frequenty push the real search results right off the bottom of the first screenfull when using a 800x600 screen resolution. Also, as far as I can see, adding the sponsored links and doing some cosmetics are the only improvements they made for this relaunch (or launch).

I'm certain that if any site wants to be a 'Google-killer' they MUST bring spelling, cache and automatic dictionary link to the table BEFORE they announce themselves as said Google-killer. It is not just about search anymore.

Posted by Lyle @ 04/04/2002 05:32 AM EST

hehe.. when i tried it today for the first time it didn't even work. all i got as a search result was a list of _other_ search engines. same list all the time, no matter what i entered to go search for.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:26 AM EST

hehe.. when i tried it today for the first time it didn't even work. all i got as a search result was a list of _other_ search engines. same list all the time, no matter what i entered to go search for.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:27 AM EST

hehe.. when i tried it today for the first time it didn't even work. all i got as a search result was a list of _other_ search engines. same list all the time, no matter what i entered to go search for.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:27 AM EST

hehe.. when i tried it today for the first time it didn't even work. all i got as a search result was a list of _other_ search engines. same list all the time, no matter what i entered to go search for.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:28 AM EST

oh, i'm sorry. it wasn't really clear my comment had already been posted.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:30 AM EST

oh, i'm sorry. it wasn't really clear my comment had already been posted.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:31 AM EST

oh, i'm sorry. it wasn't really clear my comment had already been posted.

Posted by Yak @ 04/04/2002 06:31 AM EST

While we're harping on usability issues, I'd recommend removing the link on the left to the "Mobile Friendly" version of the page.

The link implies a usable alternative which the page, not updated and months out of date, is not.

Better to have people accessing the main version of the page which is at least up to date, than to encourage them to link to a page which they'll eventually notice never changes. (Been there, done that.)

Posted by David Tallan @ 04/04/2002 02:25 PM EST

David T.,

You are exactly right. The mobile friendly page is terrbily out of date. When changes are made, I'll remove it.

- John

Posted by John S. Rhodes @ 04/04/2002 08:08 PM EST

The real alternative to Google is Vivisimo (http://vivisimo.com)

Enjoy

Posted by Hanan Cohen @ 04/08/2002 01:17 AM EST

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