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How To Lose Your Cuil 20 Seconds After Launch

25 points| nickb | 17 years ago |techcrunch.com | reply

26 comments

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[+] jbyers|17 years ago|reply
The next "Google killer" won't be labeled as such until it's already "killed Google" (whatever that means). It'll sneak up on the pundits by challenging assumptions so deeply seated they completely ignore it.

As for Cuil, I hope they build themselves into a great search engine. They're going to do that by returning super-relevant results, not touting a big index. One of my first searches was a real question I asked Google lately, "best time to visit Russia" (a rare full-phrase query for me). On Google, great results. On Cuil, not even close, i.e. missed that "Russia" is the primary subject of the query, not "best time to visit".

[+] Hexstream|17 years ago|reply
If the "more data beats better algorithms" principal is to be believed, a big index is a requirement to have a shot at Google.
[+] thomasswift|17 years ago|reply
GAH! Build it up, then tear it down. I'm sorta getting sick of these articles, I mean it was nice they were covering a new startup, but the rinse and repeat of 'here is something is cool and new' and then 'it sucks doesn't work' pattern is getting old.

The thing that sucks more, is i won't stop reading techcrunch because it does have value and does have relevant news. Sorry </vent>

[+] zacharye|17 years ago|reply
The word "cuil" has become just another flag word for me - if I notice the word in a title or post, I skip it.
[+] aneesh|17 years ago|reply
Look, it thinks Mike Arrington is Mitt Romney (http://www.cuil.com/search?q=techcrunch&sl=long)
[+] silentbicycle|17 years ago|reply
...and apparently Paul Graham plays for the Chalotte Hornets in his spare time. There's also a goofy picture of him grimacing next to a link to his essay about trolls. :) (http://www.cuil.com/search?q=paul%20graham&sl=long)

Also, in the results for "Objective Caml", the 3.10 release manual is illustrated by a happy guy on a racing bike. That's pretty random, but fitting - I like the free association (however intentional it is).

[+] danhak|17 years ago|reply
"If you are going to feed the hype cycle, you’d better be able to deliver. Because it only lasts about 20 seconds if you don’t."

...until I write another article about how you're over-hyped

[+] redorb|17 years ago|reply
my friend hit me on im ' heard of cuill' , i said yeah 'not impressed'... the lack of relevant results.. to me means they might be trying to sell there indexing tech. the problem is with 32mm to produce that tech the sell has to be 300mm , i feel for the investors and company.
[+] jrockway|17 years ago|reply
I like how Cuil uses the same color scheme as Google. As does everyone else trying to clone Google or Google ads.

If you're going to "kill Google", why not come up with your own graphic design? Or just change the colors to purple or something :P

[+] damon|17 years ago|reply
I entered "iPhone 3G sales" (no quotes) and was given a porn picture next to an Apple PR link. I do hope they succeed in challenging google, but looks like they have work to do.
[+] mattmcknight|17 years ago|reply
In the real google killer, the results search for you. (It will be much like Soviet Russia, in that regard.)
[+] rams|17 years ago|reply
"Starting to flip is starting to flop" - Who said that ? Dharmesh Shah ?
[+] rms|17 years ago|reply
I'm surprised no one is comparing Cuil to Powerset.
[+] richcollins|17 years ago|reply
Did you see Paul Buchheit's comment?

“Maybe Cuil isn’t supposed to be good. They must know that the results are bad, but they launched anyway. Maybe they aren’t trying to build a full search engine, but just want to demo their crawling+indexing technology with the expectation that someone will buy the company and plug in better ranking.

...

—Where “someone” = MSFT, who has already shown that they are willing to pay a lot for non-functional search engines."

[+] emonk|17 years ago|reply
lol tan pintados uds manga de maricas
[+] noodle|17 years ago|reply
quick question -- who cares about this crap?

startup launched in a crowded niche, looks neat, doesn't perform as well as the big guys. sky is blue. dog bites man. etc.

i don't need 300 stories on it. or maybe thats just me.

[+] demandred|17 years ago|reply
how to generate multiple articles by msm, tech blogs, etc... in the same day!
[+] emonk|17 years ago|reply
born and die in one second nice try

u try to find my site c4-antipro.com , with words c4 antipro 2 pages results and no show the site, with words c4-antipro neither appears

lol lol lol lol lol lol x1000000

good engine !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xD

now try to find something with word google xDDDDDDDDDDDD

What happens there?

How many i ned pay to my site can be found on the last page even?