Comments on: WolframAlpha http://louisejones.edublogs.org/2009/05/16/wolframalpha/ A Learning Journey by Louise Jones Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:34:11 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: John Connell http://louisejones.edublogs.org/2009/05/16/wolframalpha/comment-page-1/#comment-94 John Connell Wed, 20 May 2009 09:48:42 +0000 http://louisejones.edublogs.org/?p=136#comment-94 I've been quite taken by Wolfram Alpha's way of working, too, Louise, although I think it has a long way to go before its underlying data sets match up to its power for accuracy, timeliness, depth and spread. It's still heavily US focused in terms of the data it mines - it would be good to see this knowledge base extended worldwide as soon as possible (try inputting England, then input Scotland and see the difference). I wonder though if that might be its biggest problem - all that data will have to be gathered, configured, maintained and updated by the team that is running the show. I wonder if that is simply too big a task now for any one team, however big, to run, given the sheer volume of digital data that now exists - see the Guardian at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/18/digital-content-expansion Unless they can automate the process to some extent, as Google does, or go down a user-generated model, as Wikipedia does, I'm not sure it will prove useful in the long term. Now, a partnership between Wolfram Alpha and Wikipedia - that would be something to consider! Think of WA as an additional front-end to Wikipedia - could be interesting? All those days, huh? I, apparently, passed my 19,000th day just 11 days ago! It's funny to think how little I really know after 19,000 days of learning........ :-) I’ve been quite taken by Wolfram Alpha’s way of working, too, Louise, although I think it has a long way to go before its underlying data sets match up to its power for accuracy, timeliness, depth and spread.

It’s still heavily US focused in terms of the data it mines – it would be good to see this knowledge base extended worldwide as soon as possible (try inputting England, then input Scotland and see the difference). I wonder though if that might be its biggest problem – all that data will have to be gathered, configured, maintained and updated by the team that is running the show. I wonder if that is simply too big a task now for any one team, however big, to run, given the sheer volume of digital data that now exists – see the Guardian at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/18/digital-content-expansion

Unless they can automate the process to some extent, as Google does, or go down a user-generated model, as Wikipedia does, I’m not sure it will prove useful in the long term.

Now, a partnership between Wolfram Alpha and Wikipedia – that would be something to consider! Think of WA as an additional front-end to Wikipedia – could be interesting?

All those days, huh? I, apparently, passed my 19,000th day just 11 days ago! It’s funny to think how little I really know after 19,000 days of learning…….. :-)

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