Yahoo hopes to build a more personalized and community based version of the web with their new "MyRank" system."My Rank will be part of the latest My Web version dubbed'My Web 2.0'. The first My Web allowed Yahoo users to archive their search results and share them with other users. This latest version will attempt to make the next logical step.
Yahoo userswill be able to bookmark and cache copies of their favorite web sitesas well as labelingthem in certain categories and attaching personalcomments. Users will then be able to search among theirpeers' knowledge base using Yahoo's "MyRank" search technology.
The companyhas stated thatit created My Web and "MyRank" to deal with three problems facing today's searcher:
1) Search enginesare limited in their ability to answer opinion-based queries such as the definition of the best plasma television review site. The reason is thatsearch enginesare impersonal andpurposely donot capture opinions and recommendations of friends and experts.
2) Search enginesare not able to always interpret the meaning of a user query. For example, a user searching for The Beatles' record label Apple Records might instead be directed to the more generally popular Apple Computer web site.
3)According to a spokesman for Yahoo search ",Today's search engines can deliver great results ... but typically do a poor job of connecting you with new items that might be interesting, timely and personally relevant. Your friends and people who share common interests with you are better sources for this information..."
I personally will not be using this new service, but only because I know where to go or who to ask if I want someone's personal or professional opinion on a particular subject. However, it does merit some investigation. This is definitely an extremely ambitious undertaking for Yahoo and an indication that they are serious about search after all.
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