Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

Thursday, February 3, 2011

How to Create a Search Engine.. Like Bing

Posted: 03 Feb 2011 01:25 AM PST

If you have not been reading the latest technology news, here is a quick summary of the hottest stuff that just happened in the last few days (be sure to check out the included links for more details):

Google accused Microsoft's Bing of cheating by using, copying, borrowing, stealing (or whatever you may call it) Google's search results. Microsoft denied this by saying, "We do not copy Google's results". The Bing team also gave an official statement that briefly explains how their algorithm work and admitted that they do copy clickstream data from users, which of course include those from Google.

Here is my quick opinion with regards to this issue:

Google has all the right reasons to complain. Search is their main product and they would do everything they can to protect it. Heck Apple will sue everyone that would slightly copy the name or features of their products, so I think there is nothing wrong about Google's grumble since they have also provided some good and credible facts. Bing simply did a sneaky job of gathering Google's search data and ultimately uses them as basis of its search results.

As stated by the Bing team, they use over 1,000 different signals and features in their ranking algorithm. But the question is, how much influence does Google's search data have on Bing's ranking algorithm?

Because of all the madness that are taking place right now, someone just created a web application that will allow you to build a search engine that 'uses' or should I say 'does a parody' of Bing's search algorithm.

Here is an amazing 3-step process of creating your very-own Bing-like search engine :-)

1. Go to createasearchengine.appspot.com