Philipp asks if a feature from Google that provides links to “related phrases” when you search for web-based definitions using “define:[foo]” is new. Nice catch P.L., not sure if it’s new or a test (I’m checking) but it’s something I haven’t spotted before. Clicking a related phrase link runs another define: search for that specific phrase.
Danny recently posted about a UI test that offers refinement keywords on web results pages.
Examples:
+ Define:Google
+ Define:search engine
+ define:san francisco
+ Define:olympics
In this case the related phrases seemed random. For example, why “1956 Olympics” but not “1976 Olympics”? Why “canada at the 2004 olympics” but not “Canada at the 2000 Olympics?
I also tried searching with personal names to see if the service would return other people who are/were related in one way or another.
Examples:
+ Define:”Danny Sullivan” or Define:Danny Sullivan
Other search experts? Other race car drivers? Nothing.
+ Define:”Thomas Jefferson”
Places and things relating to TJ are listed but individuals who are linked in some way (Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, etc.) are not.
+ Define:Peter Jackson
An entry for the director of King Kong and The Lord of the Rings trilogy is provided but others like stars of the films, producers, writers, etc. are not listed.
Similar Services
Yahoo
I’ve noticed that for some time that Yahoo provides “Also try” links at the top of web results pages for some searches.
Examples:
+ Chicago Bulls
Clicking the more link provides this page of NUMEROUS suggestions.
+ Thomas Jefferson
Ask Jeeves
The AJ Zoom feature launched last year (similar to what Teoma has offered for many years) offers the ability to narrow or broaden your search and in some cases also pulls out related names.
+ Chicago Bulls
+ Thomas Jefferson
+ MSN Search
I tried searches for Chicago Bulls and Thomas Jefferson and did not spot any type of related search suggestions or search focus choices.
+ Gigblast offers Gigabits
+ Exalead offers related terms in the left hand column. This example shows related terms for the phrase “search engine marketing.”
+ Clusty’s dynamically generated clusters are available to help narrow and focus a result set and like the services from the other companies can also provide info discovery.