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Filed under: Internet, Search, web 2.0

Powerset semantic search engine launches Wikipedia-based demo


Powerset Demo Video from officialpowerset on Vimeo.

Powerset has launched a public beta of their new natural language search engine. What exactly do we mean by natural language search? First of all, you can enter keywords like you would with any other search engine. But Powerset can also handle phrases and questions. But Powerset's semantic tools go far beyond that. For example, if you search for "paintings by Dali," the search engine will understand that you are looking for paintings, and if it can find some images, it will put them at the the top of the page.

Right now Powerset searches exactly one site. But since that site is Wikipedia, you can still find a ton of useful information. But you're going to have more luck with queries like "who shot Lincoln?" than "when will the 3G iPhone be released."

When you click through to read a Wikipedia article, Powerset will bring up a sidebar tool that lets you view either an outline of the article or "Factz," which are typically some of the key points in an article. If you click on a fact, you'll be taken immediately to the relevant part of the Wikipedia article.

It's not clear whether Powerset is a Google killer, since the search engine currently doesn't index the web, just one site right now. So it's not clear how well it would be able to prioritize data from millions of pages. But it works quite well as an advanced search tool for a single site like Wikipedia.

[via GigaOm]

Featured Time Waster

Forumwarz - a potentially offensive time waster

I pwn UAfter spending the better part of an hour on Forumwarz I still can't decide if it's just sick or if it's kind of fun. It's a bit like a car wreck on the highway. I know I shouldn't be looking but I can't quite turn away.

It's sick, it's twisted, it's the internet on it's worst level and darn it, it's kind of fun. At least for a little while.

Forumwarz is a parody role-playing game that takes place on the internet - or at least the Forumwarz version of it. Your goal is to complete missions that are given to you through a mock up of GoogleTalk called Sentrillion.

Your first "friend" is ShallowEsophagus who begins giving you missions to pwn various forums by being a troll. Depending on the character type you are assigned at start up, you have tools like drooling on the keyboard or bashing your head on the keyboard that you can use to destroy forum threads and eventually, pwn a forum.

Future missions involve buying illegal software from the Russians, pwning more difficult forums and other internet oddness.

Completing missions gives you cash, called Flezz in game, and items that you can pawn or use in other missions. The game is NOT for those easily offended. It's crass, coarse and there are frequent f-bombs in the fake chat sessions.

This is also a game for a more mature audience as it requires you to shop at the Drugs R Fun store to get various concoctions to improve your playing, engage in certain cyber activities to get more Flezz and just generally use a more adult perspective.

If you can get past that, here are the more enjoyable and time-wasting aspects.

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