Cuil - Google Alternative

[HelloHockeyFans]

The internet search engine, designed by ex-Google employees launched yesterday.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...QIwdwD9270VEG0

And the link: http://www.cuil.com/

[BlackArcher101]

I think it's absolute crap.

[FlamesPuck12]

I just tried it and I agree with BlackArcher, it's sucks. I'll stick with google for now.

[Bobblehead]

I tried it the day it was released and had trouble getting results. Not impressed. I'm not sure if it was a scaling issue, or what, but 2 out of 3 times it wouldn't return results. Seems ok now, but it left a poor impression.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

the display is very interesting.

do a search for 'calgary' for example. The results are interesting in their sturcture and refinement.

Google has typically 'lost' (to the extent that they do) to sites offering more structured results.

Looooong way to go though. It'll also be interetsing to see if they ahve similar issues with people gaming their results.

[Dion]

Not impressed!

The format is kind of wierd once you put something in thier search engine. Doubt i'd ever use it.

[arsenal]

i don't mind it. I kind of like the interface. It's new, so there will be bugs and such. I would give it year, but I could see gaining some market share.
I don't think it would or could ever be a google killer, but only time will tell.

[RW99]

It's pulling images which is a nice idea, but it's pulling a bunch of wrong ones.

[HOOT]

Its got some potential, but I would still use google for now. Could be good with some feedback.

[Azure]

Its slow.

[FlamingLonghorn]

It is terrible...

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by RW99

It's pulling images which is a nice idea, but it's pulling a bunch of wrong ones.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/29/cuil_launch/

Link contains NSFW picture.

In an attempt to upstage their former employer, a trio of ex-Googlers have launched a search engine of their own. They insist on calling it "Cuil" - pronounced "cool," apparently - and they say it "goes beyond today’s search techniques."

This includes flashing random pornography when you search for information about a Grenoble-based quantum computing researcher.

"Cuil gives users a richer display of results [such as] images to identify topics," reads the company's press release. And as loyal Reg reader Jonathan Grattage points out, he and his quantum research are identified with "little pictures of a US serviceman and a guy masturbating over some other poor sap"

[llama64]

Search for "Cuil" in cuil. You don't get nothing.

Search for "Cuil" in google. You get their entire site indexed.

You know there is a problem when it can't even find itself.

In short, Cuil is a pointless search engine that offers nothing new and can't even get the basics right. In addition, they are competing with not only a decade old refined product, but also a deeply engrained cultural force in Google.

The porn stuff is kinda funny. Pretty bad journalism by The Register to include it straight up though.

[BlackArcher101]

When I first tried it, it wouldn't return ANY results. I couldn't figure out why... then I tried disabling their safe search feature. Wouldn't ya know it? It got results. I guess everything wasn't safe.

I've tried it a few times since and I find it extremely difficult to decide on what I need to click on. With google, I usually glance at the page title, then look at the URL. If they both seem related, I will click the link. However, with Cuil, I find there is way too much clutter to go through the results. It's harder for me to glance at the title and url and scan through the rest at a good rate. I rarely look at the page content/description in the search results, so to me cuil is inefficient as hell and displays wrong/useless info I don't need.

[FireFly]

I think it's pretty. However not as efficient. I might use it just cause it's pretty though... I'm smart enough that I can figure out what to click on after I type something in....

[Russic]

it has potential, but is google really broken enough to need this? I can't think of the last time google failed me horribly.

[fredr123]

Compare the results you get when you search for your own name in both google and cuil. Cuil seems way, way out to lunch.

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by fredr123

Compare the results you get when you search for your own name in both google and cuil. Cuil seems way, way out to lunch.

Showed me the same stuff? Although there was more of the bariatric surgeon version of myself on google, and more of the anime artist version of myself on cuil... Neither had the Flames receptionist version of myself. Perhaps I should set my sights higher? I want to be the top version of myself on both, dammit!

[Russic]

When I cuil'd my name it came back with an iphone e-petition I signed about 2 years ago. Kind of odd considering I have a website with my name in the address.

[doozwimp]

Interesting. Dont mind the format vs google, but obviously google has less bugs being more established and whatnot.