Aardvark (搜索引擎)
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语言 | 英语 |
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持有者 | |
商业性质 | 是 |
推出时间 | 2008年初 |
现状 | 已停用 |
Aardvark是一个允许用户互相问答的社交搜索服务平台,也称为知识市场(英语:Knowledge market)。用户可通过Aardvark网站、电子邮件或其他即时通讯工具在该平台进行提问,Aardvark将对其进行所属领域识别,并邀请该方面的一位或多位主题专家与提问者进行实时聊天或电子邮件交流。除此之外,Aardvark还可用于寻求他人针对主观事件的建议与看法,更广泛用于技术领域的问答。用户还可以查看他人在先前于Aardvark网站上的问答记录。该平台于2010年2月11日被Google以5000万美元的价格收购[1][2],随后在2011年9月即宣布被停止[3]。
历史
Aardvark最初由位于旧金山的公司The Mechanical Zoo开发;这一公司由Max Ventilla、Nathan Stoll(前Google员工)、Damon Horowitz和Rob Spiro于2007年创立。[4] 2008年初,Aardvark的最初版本正式发布[5];2009年3月,Aardvark正式向全球开放[6],但新用户必须由老用户邀请才可注册。[7]该公司没有发布使用统计数据。2011年9月,Aardvark正式停止运营[8]。
之所以最初这家公司会叫作Mechanical Zoo,是因为创始人想要向与此业务类似的领域致敬;其开发的产品亦多命名为动物名称,其中包括Aardvark(土豚)。[9]
交互模型
当用户加入Aardvark时,其会被自动添加到这一用户的IM好友列表中。用户可以通过电子邮件或IM提交自己的问题[10];Aardvark在收到含有问题的消息后会通过回信来指导该用户后续需要进行的操作,从而指导其完成整个提问流程。使用IM好友列表的用户可以使用各种IM内部指令,从而实现对问题参数、求助对象等内容的调整。[11]
回答问题时,Aardvark共提供了两种不同的流程。其一即利用Aardvark向潜在回答者通过IM或者电子邮件发送消息,询问其是否愿意回答问题。当Aardvark认为某一用户非常适合回答其他用户提出的特定问题时,它会定期通过电子邮件或IM邀请该用户回答更多问题。这也是Aardvark最主要的回答途径;除此之外,Aardvark也允许提问人直接向自己的朋友或朋友的朋友提问。系统不会将问题发送给提问人的每个朋友,而是在确认其个人资料是否适合回答该问题后再做发送。[12]
当Aardvark向用户发送回答邀请时,如果用户表达出了积极的倾向,Aardvark就会将问题转发给它,并且附有提问者的姓名。用户可以直接输入问题的答案,还可以输入自己的朋友的姓名或电子邮件地址告诉提问者可能知道答案的人,或者仅输入“Pass”以将问题转交给其他人。一般情况下,Aardvark每天只会向用户发送至多一次回答邀请;用户可以轻松更改联系设置,指定此类邀请的频率和推送时间点。[13]
Aardvark支持Google Talk、Windows Live Messenger、AOL Instant Messenger和 Yahoo! Messenger作为联络方式。[14]
在所有界面中,来自其他用户的消息均将包括其真实姓名、年龄、性别等个人信息、双方的社交联系、对方擅长的主题以及对方在Aardvark上的活动统计以促进彼此之间的信任。[13]
资金和经济策略
在被谷歌收购之前,The Mechanical Zoo公司完全系私人所持有。该公司最初的资金来自2008年初一部分天使投资者的价值75万美元的可转换债券。[15]2008年10月,由August Capital公司牵头的总价值600万美元的A轮融资进一步为该公司提供了资金收入。[16]
2010年2月11日,该公司被Google以5000万美元[17]的价格收购[18][19]。
参见
- 人工搜索引擎(英语:Human search engine)
参考内容
- ^ Google Acquires Aardvark For $50 million (Confirmed). TechCrunch. techcrunch.com. [February 12, 2010]. (原始内容存档于February 13, 2010).
We can now confirm that Google has signed a deal to acquire us but have no further comment.
- ^ Google Acquires Aardvark. Official Google Blog. [February 12, 2010]. (原始内容存档于February 14, 2010).
we're excited to announce that we've acquired Aardvark, a unique technology company.
- ^ Alan Eustace. A fall spring-clean. September 2, 2011 [September 2, 2011]. (原始内容存档于September 7, 2011).
- ^ Mechanical Zoo Gets $6 Million To Build Aardvark Social Search Product. TechCrunch. techcrunch.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于March 14, 2009).
startup founded by Max Ventilla (Google corp dev), Nathan Stoll (Google News) and Damon Horowitz (Perspecta)
- ^ Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search. news.cnet.comt. cnet.com. [April 13, 2012]. (原始内容存档于June 17, 2011).
The site, called Mechanical Zoo, is poised to launch in beta next month. The San Francisco company . . .is about 9 months old
- ^ What to expect at SXSW. cnet. cnet.com. [April 13, 2012]. (原始内容存档于March 14, 2009).
Given the dismal economy, there won't be a whole lot of new companies launching at SXSWi this year. There are a few: Social search company Aardvark
- ^ Aardvark "Help Engine" Opens to Wider User. searchengineland.com. searchengineland.com. [March 13, 2009]. (原始内容存档于March 15, 2009).
When you sign-up through an invitation . . .
- ^ Angotti, David. Social Search Engine Aardvark Hunted Down. Search Engine Journal. 2011-09-06 [2022-08-01]. (原始内容存档于2022-08-01) (英语).
- ^ Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search. news.cnet.comt. cnet.com. [April 13, 2012]. (原始内容存档于June 17, 2011).
Mechanical Zoo is an homage to the mechanical workings of its application, as well as several animal-named products that the company plans to introduce over time.
- ^ ChaCha And Aardvark: Putting Humans To Work To Get You The Answers You Need. techcrunch. techcrunch.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于March 23, 2009).
You can ask questions via an instant message buddy or email.
- ^ Aardvark, a better social qa than twitter. i-penny.com. i-penny.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于September 3, 2010).
Aardvark features a number of simple commands that allow you to interact with the service and that are always explained in your conversations with Aardvark.
- ^ Aardvark, a better social q&a than twitter. readwriteweb.com. readwriteweb.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于March 12, 2009).
In return, Aardvark will also send you a few questions every day that fit your profile.
- ^ 13.0 13.1 Damon Horowitz,Sepandar D. Kamvar, The Anatomy of a Large Scale Social Search Engine (PDF), [August 28, 2010], (原始内容 (PDF)存档于February 16, 2011)
- ^ Aardvark, a better social qa than twitter. i-penny.com. i-penny.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于September 3, 2010).
Aardvark supports Google Talk, AIM, and Microsoft's Live Messenger.
- ^ Ex-Googlers working on stealth social search. news.cnet.comt. cnet.com. [April 13, 2012]. (原始内容存档于June 17, 2011).
The privately funded Mechanical Zoo has raised about $750,000 in convertible debt from angel investors, including ex-colleagues and friends
- ^ Mechanical Zoo Gets $6 Million To Build Aardvark Social Search Product. TechCrunch. techcrunch.com. [March 11, 2009]. (原始内容存档于March 14, 2009).
The fifteen person company has raised $7.5 million (including an earlier angel round) in a highly anticipated venture capital financing led by August Capital. Additional investors include Baseline Ventures and a number of angels.
- ^ Rosoff, Matt. Google Kills Aardvark, Which It Bought For $50 Million Last Year. Business Insider. [2022-08-01]. (原始内容存档于2022-08-01) (美国英语).
- ^ Google to buy search engine Aardvark - CNN.com. www.cnn.com. [2022-08-01]. (原始内容存档于2022-08-01) (英语).
- ^ Google buys social search startup Aardvark. the Guardian. 2010-02-11 [2022-08-01]. (原始内容存档于2022-08-01) (英语).
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