(Barry Diller’s) IAC is dropping DoubleClick for Microsoft’s Atlas platform.
A product of Microsoft’s aQuantive buy, Atlas will be used by IAC to serve ads at its CitySearch, Match.com, and Evite divisions.
Moments ago I was just reading Indiana University is dropping Google for human powered ChaCha.
At a news conference Thursday, ChaCha and IU announced a strategic partnership that will install ChaCha’s software on every IU Web site, from IU Libraries’ www.libraries.iub.edu to the general portal search.iu.edu.
The goal for IU is to give students, faculty and the public more advanced search tools. Yet for ChaCha, the partnership is also a pilot program to work out the kinks before it rolls out its software to other universities.
“We’re taking our guide community up another level,” said Scott Jones, founder of ChaCha.
Come Monday, no more IU searches will be powered by computer-driven Google. Only by people-powered ChaCha.If you run a business, you definitely don’t want to have one major player to count on, as if this happens then that player can then write their own rules, as no one can compete. From these past events, are we at the beginning of a new trend against the almighty Google? Do companies finally realize that even at a possible loss, giving business to competing businesses may be better then to give business to Google just to keep those businesses alive and well?
First thing, thanks for the post, as i didn’t know of chacha and as an alumni of IU its interesting to see what other alums are doing.
As for competition, i think it is a necessary trend. As its not healthy to only have two major political parties; the same is true with search engines. More options gives more power to domain owners.
ChaCha’s deal with UI is interesting. What the article doesn’t really point out, and what I think is the real value, is the integration of the library back into the search process.
Libraries and librarians can offer incredible value - even in a Googled world - because not every question is easily answered with an automated query (re: the explosion of QNA sites, expert sites, and the 20% dissatisfaction with Search Engines).
Libraries provide their patrons and students with access to data not indexed in Google, as well as some great reference desk services.
But Libraries are losing traction because they are outside of the search thought process. A 2005 study by OCLC found that 82% of respondents started their electronic searches at a search engine and only 1% started them at a library portal. libraries are also embracing virtual reference desk services, but 90% of their reference desk activity still happens in person.
This ChaCha / UI relationship will integrate the value of librarians back into search. That’s the real story.
Google has a motto ‘don’t be evil’ or something like that but i think for anybody be they a company or an individual once you get too much power it’s bound to have an effect on you. Google might soon be the next microsoft monopoly. I hope not.