Cool Cuil Knowledge

Cuil‘s the new search engine on the block. Cuil claims it searches over 120 billion pages, “three times as many as Google and ten times as many as Microsoft”. Cuil says it uses relevancy, not just popularity.

Is it any good?

Infomancers say, “Good Morning!”: Where’s the conspiracy?

“Infomancy” gains disapproving comment, but without substance.

Olivier Le Deuff writes his views last week on the use of the word – and mine is not the only one – in Le matin des infomanciens (The morning of the infomancers) on his blog, Le guide des égarés (The Guide for the Lost).

I am a little lost by his argument, but at least somewhat amused.

Perhaps he thinks we infomancers wear delightful knitted costumes to practice our wicked ways? And just in case we’re having a bad day, the mittens spell “mittin” and the hat includes the word “hat”.

Predicting the future: who pays wins?

Good Magazine‘s article on The New Nostradamus, Bruce Bueno De Mesquita, and rational choice theory is deeply thought-provoking. He claims to be able to model and accurately predict the outcome of conflicts. Certainly the successes and success rates quoted are impressive. But the article leaves untouched some serious issues behind the control and application of the modelling process.

Infomancy

Infomancy: It’s me trying to make sense of stuff.

*****

Once there were fewer facts and fewer theories, but finding a course of action or a meaning in life and death were never far from the human mind.

Casting entrails or bones or runes to capture by force or favour the meaning of the moment was natural, even obvious. Likewise, as the moon moves the sea and the stars move the seasons, how could they not reveal to the respectful eye the fate or fortune of an empire or a child. And then the refined and seemingly infinite book of picture cards might draw for each their own and different story.

Now there are newer facts and newer theories, but finding a course of action or a meaning in life and death are still never far from the human mind.

But, ceaselessly seeking patterns we find them now harder to perceive. The invisibly small has significance, and the large is visibly insignificant; time’s rhythmic march trips into syncopated step; and even nothing isn’t what it was.

So, what is Infomancy?

It’s where I attempt to divine with information what might be; it’s where I attempt to practice the dark art of knowing clearly; it’s a version of my reality.

(Dictionary definitions can wait.)

*****

Actually, I’ll go back to what I first said.

Infomancy: It’s me trying to make sense of stuff.

(Anything I like.)