Wolfram Alpha

GeoffC · 05-18-2009, 12:45 PM

New search engine ....

"Making the world's knowledge computable

Today's Wolfram|Alpha is the first step in an ambitious, long-term project to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone. "

GeoffC · 05-18-2009, 12:55 PM

It's interesting as a search engine but, probably because of the complexity of its results - it is rather slow - the layout is pretty neat...

Lady Blue · 05-18-2009, 01:20 PM

Very interesting search engine. I haven't tried much input yet, but so far haven't found it to be very slow at all.

kuliand · 05-18-2009, 02:45 PM

Yes this pretty cool shame the main stream media don't understand it's not supposed to be like google though.

wallcraft · 05-18-2009, 03:07 PM

Ars Technica has a good overview, see Wolfram Alpha set for launch, first look unveiled.

soilwork · 05-18-2009, 03:10 PM

Techcrunch also has a good article on Wolfram Alpha. If it lives up to its potential, it can discover new facts that humans have not.
http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/08...ing-to-be-big/

Lemurion · 05-18-2009, 03:13 PM

I tried it - most of what I would like it for gives no results at all.

kovidgoyal · 05-18-2009, 03:16 PM

It's basically three things:

1) A search query parser

2) A lot of data, most of which is hand collected

3) A collection of handmade scripts that use mathematica to parse and present the data and various simple transformations of it in human readable form

Sparrow · 05-18-2009, 03:31 PM

Definitely still needs work.

"how old is alasdair gray" produced "Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input."

The same query in Google told me he is 74 at the top of the first page.

phenomshel · 05-19-2009, 01:43 AM

Input an algebra problem. High school teachers are going to HATE this.

GeoffC · 05-19-2009, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phenomshel

Input an algebra problem. High school teachers are going to HATE this.

YGG- · 05-19-2009, 04:05 AM

It worked fine for the few questions I threw at it (like "evolution of russian population"; by the way it's dwindling), after some specification.

Jellby · 05-19-2009, 05:11 AM

I wanted the average altitude of the countries in the world... and it didn't work

05-18-2009, 12:45 PM	#1
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	Wolfram Alpha New search engine .... "Making the world's knowledge computable Today's Wolfram\|Alpha is the first step in an ambitious, long-term project to make all systematic knowledge immediately computable by anyone. "

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05-18-2009, 12:55 PM	#2
GeoffC Chocolate Grasshopper ... Posts: 27,599 Karma: 20821184 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scotland Device: Muse HD , Cybook Gen3 , Pocketbook 302 (Black) , Nexus 10: wife has PW	It's interesting as a search engine but, probably because of the complexity of its results - it is rather slow - the layout is pretty neat...

05-18-2009, 01:20 PM	#3
Lady Blue the snarky blue one Posts: 6,001 Karma: 3877825 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: deep in the heart Device: PRS500, 505 & 600, PRST1 & T2, Kindle PW, Moto Razr, Galaxy Tab 2-10"	Very interesting search engine. I haven't tried much input yet, but so far haven't found it to be very slow at all.

05-18-2009, 02:45 PM	#4
kuliand Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 138 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: sony prs505	Yes this pretty cool shame the main stream media don't understand it's not supposed to be like google though.

05-18-2009, 03:07 PM	#5
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Ars Technica has a good overview, see Wolfram Alpha set for launch, first look unveiled.

05-18-2009, 03:10 PM	#6
soilwork useR! Posts: 299 Karma: 651 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NY Device: Onyx Boox Max 2, Kobo Libra H2O, iRiver Story HD	Techcrunch also has a good article on Wolfram Alpha. If it lives up to its potential, it can discover new facts that humans have not. http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/03/08...ing-to-be-big/

05-18-2009, 03:13 PM	#7
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	I tried it - most of what I would like it for gives no results at all.

05-18-2009, 03:16 PM	#8
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,201 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	It's basically three things: 1) A search query parser 2) A lot of data, most of which is hand collected 3) A collection of handmade scripts that use mathematica to parse and present the data and various simple transformations of it in human readable form

05-18-2009, 03:31 PM	#9
Sparrow Wizard Posts: 4,395 Karma: 1358132 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3	Definitely still needs work. "how old is alasdair gray" produced "Wolfram\|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input." The same query in Google told me he is 74 at the top of the first page.

05-19-2009, 01:43 AM	#10
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Input an algebra problem. High school teachers are going to HATE this.

05-19-2009, 04:05 AM	#12
YGG- Dry fruit Posts: 1,157 Karma: 1047086 Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Paris, France Device: Bookeen Opus + HTC Desire HD	It worked fine for the few questions I threw at it (like "evolution of russian population"; by the way it's dwindling), after some specification.

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05-19-2009, 05:11 AM	#13
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,543 Karma: 19001583 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	I wanted the average altitude of the countries in the world... and it didn't work