[Search-l] Simpy Chichimichi - "Wikia Search - Not Happening"

[Seth Finkelstein]

On Sun, Apr 29, 2007 at 09:07:01AM -0400, Jimmy Wales wrote:
> Seth Finkelstein wrote:
>>	Again, if you want to know what I think (and JW might not like
>> his, sigh, I recently got flamed by him over certain strategic analysis
>> on a different topic), the project will happen if/when venture
>> capitalists and/or "second-tier" search companies are convinced to put
>> up the appropriate funding.
> 
> I flamed you before for doing exactly this, yes... speculating randomly 
> when you are completely wrong and have exactly zero access to information.

	Now, now. You should note I base my statement here on
the _New Scientist_ interview:

Seth Finkelstein: "... the project will happen if/when venture
capitalists and/or "second-tier" search companies are convinced to put
up the appropriate funding."

Jimmy Wales, _New Scientist_ interview:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19325896.300-interview-knowledge-to-the-people.html
"It's too early for specifics, but one thing that has worked is an
alliance in which people contribute to a free software project. ... So
it makes sense for second-tier search companies who are falling behind
Google to contribute to a free search software project that will make
us equal to Google in terms of search quality."

	I could perhaps be criticized for too unqualified paraphrasing
(from "one thing that has worked", to "the project will happen if/when"),
but it's clear I'm just giving my speculation. It's hardly random as I
do supply the information I'm using, which is your own interview statement.

	This is the sort of thing where it looks like the problem is
really in being right.

> Everything is underway just fine.  If people think that we can put
> together a project magically and overnight, they really don't
> understand how these things work. :)

	Well, I think it's a little unfair to criticize people given
that there have been so many public statements that the project is
operational now, when it's not (or at least, in terms of access to
information, nobody outside of Wikia (?) seems to have seen it - not
that I'd  want someone to throw some servers together so as to meet a
milestone, I'd think that a waste of resources).

	I know how it goes, I've seen far worse in my time (heck, to a
reasonable approximation, here I can only get flamed, not fired). But
still, the shoot-the-messenger strategy is morally wrong.

[P.S.: If you don't believe the moral argument, the cynical
argument is that it makes you look desperate to the moneybags :-).
Blame the media instead, that's traditional :-)]

-- 
Seth Finkelstein  Consulting Programmer  http://sethf.com/
Infothought blog - http://sethf.com/infothought/blog/
Interview: http://sethf.com/essays/major/greplaw-interview.php