Human search engine

Share This
« Back to Glossary Index

A Human Search Engine represents a distinctive kind of online search engine that integrates human insight and intelligence into its functionality. This search engine variety frequently employs computation based on human input, engaging human involvement in processes like problem-solving and data retrieval. Examples of such platforms could include the Human Flesh Search Engine, a popular internet[1] trend in China where users collaboratively engage in problem-solving, and Social Search, a method that extracts information from social networks. Human Search Engines are defined by their amalgamation of human cognitive abilities and collective intelligence, enhancing conventional algorithm-dependent search technologies. They represent a progressive field within the broader context of online search engines, human-facilitated computation, and internet software.

Terms definitions
1. internet. The Internet, a global network of interconnected computer systems, utilizes standardized communication protocols, predominantly TCP/IP, to connect devices across the globe. The term 'Internet' has its roots in the 1849 term 'internetted' and was later adopted by the US War Department in 1945. The inception of the Internet can be traced back to the 1960s when computer scientists developed time-sharing systems, which eventually led to the creation of ARPANET in 1969. The Internet operates autonomously, without any central control, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages its primary name spaces. It has revolutionized traditional communication methods and has seen an exponential growth, with the number of internet users growing by 20% to 50% every year. In 2019, more than half of the global population was using the Internet. The Internet protocol suite, comprising TCP/IP and four conceptual layers, directs internet packets to their intended destinations. Fundamental services such as email and Internet telephony function on the Internet. The World Wide Web, an extensive network of interconnected documents, serves as a crucial element of the Internet.

A human search engine was a search engine that used human participation to filter the search results and assist users in clarifying their search request. The goal was to provide users with a limited number of relevant results, as opposed to traditional search engines that often return many results that may or may not be relevant.

Examples of defunct human search engines include ApexKB, ChaCha, Mahalo.com, NowNow (from Amazon.com), DMOZ and Sproose.

« Back to Glossary Index
Keep up with updates
en_USEnglish