Cuil.com - Any thoughts?

[gingeman]

So...

Big news is Cuil.com has launched as the new super-sized search engine in town...

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=cuil&meta=

Anybody got any thoughts?

Do you think they really can compete with the big 'G'?

 

[NavyMan]

Maybe some meanings are right, but I think also a word like "CUIL" will establish its popular rank. Did you knew when you heard about Google that it is not spelled Gugle or so... Or Yahoo is not "Yawho" or "Jahuu"... When you have a famous site that is good, you'll remember its name I think. And ok, they wanted a quick start, but since there are old "Googler's" at work, this could going to be an "alternative". And maybe they will have luck... or maybe not! I don't know, but in fact: Google is too oversized and not a search-engine anymore. And it is not the best idea for a business to grow that fast like Google did...

Thanks to Mark for merging! Sorry again!

 

[labrocca]

Reading these comments makes me just realize that everyone is kiss-ass to Google. If it's not like Google then it must suck.

Would you be impressed if their results page was laid out like Googles? Probably not...comments would be "well it's just like Google". Obviously it's not working for Ask.com. Innovation sometimes means taking risks.

In my head I just realized something. I was about to type that while the relevancy of results could be better the results page imho was very cool. Get it. COOL. CUIL. And that might be their target appeal...the cool factor.

If they can work on relevancy which I am sure they will...then I believe the site can do well. It's not a quick hop like Google to the top 3 results but as pointed out. Results at G are slanted toward Wikipedia and SEO spammers. So far the results at Cuil have not been mfa sites. To scan the results might take a second or two longer but maybe it just takes getting used to. Use it for a day instead of Google. See if you still feel the same about results.

 

[pluto459]

the search is horrible
the layout is horrible

might be a great idea to create a better search but as a test I searched a few keywords and the results were horrible.

 

[John Doe]

As an internet user I tend to prefer light fast sites with convenient usability and minimal noise level. Everything meant to seem just "cool" feels like schoolboys first try to build a homepage. Every aspect connected to Cuil feels terribly unprofessional. Good promotion? What the heck. There is a marketing thumb rule: don`t create disappointment. It was a huge mistake to start promoting such raw beta version. Design, usability, quality of results? I can`t find single reason to use Cuil. If I would prefer something alternative to 3 big guys then many much more interesting search engine concepts are out there - just try out - most of them work properly and do not hurt eyes.

 

[johname]

From Cuil.com: "Cuil is an old Irish word for knowledge"

So I guess this will be big in Ireland

 

[NavyMan]

I think, John is right. Maybe they started too early. And maybe this is the point for the low publicity until now. Nobody knows, if they have a "big thing" worked out but showing us a simple 10-minutes-built search engine. I don't really know this until now but we will see what the future will bring us...

 

[RegFee]

Do the letter combinations tt and ti show up bold for anyone else in the search text box (on the results page, not on the main page) ?

Also, still wondering what couil.com has to do with cuil.com (looks like it uses the same logo, but just runs a google search)

 

[johname]

still wondering what couil.com has to do with cuil.com (looks like it uses the same logo, but just runs a google search)

Wouldnt you do that if you owned couil.com ?

Think they really TM couil ? lol

 

[SlimPickins]

well, this goes to show that the $60 offer on sedo COULD be the enduser of your dreams! :lol: ..... although the name is hard for me to digest, i LIKE the fact that it is 4letters, has a geo meaning and is brandable (with enough elbow grease ie funding).... could they have bought something *better*? of course. they chose this (for a reason) and are giving it a go. more power to them imho! will it compete? thats up to them..... i am not a qualified judge, only a gullible, lazy, impatient and spoiled consumer.... i am neither cool nor cuil............... but i LOVE results! sp

 

[DN BROKER]

who wants to fund my search engine idea.. Ceegle.com :D

 

[cyberhawks]

read an article about the backstory, got excited went to try it and.....u n d e r w h e l m e d

 

[Domagon]

Cuil lacks the "Wow!" factor that Google had when it first started.

Google was truly revelutionary - it was so much better than other major search engines of the time; Altavista back then was decent, but its interface was heavyweight (also parts of it were paid subscription from what I recall) compared to Google, which had a more frequently updated index, loaded super fast, and focused on doing one thing very well - search!

Cuil comes across to me as a Google clone with columns and images...

The image part is badly implemented, because often they're irrelevant to the sites they're associated with, plus they appear to load remotely (hotlinked!), which is a bad thing in regards to security, privacy, and performance - loading of 3rd party images slows things down. Google understands this and caches everything it possibly can - they've taken some flak for storing copies of thumbnails, but they know that performance is what people expect ... the Cuil folks don't get it

Also, the back button appears to be disabled at times on Cuil, and also the Previous / Next buttons are poorly positioned / awkward to use.

Finally, unless Cuil search results are exceptional, which doesn't appear to be the case from what I've seen so far, all Google has to do is simply add a column layout and toss in some thumbnail images, and they'll basically make Cuil redundent.

Ron

 

[labrocca]

Google understands this and caches everything it possibly can - they've taken some flak for storing copies of thumbnails, but they know that performance is what people expect ... the Cuil folks don't get it

I prefer they hotlinked. I could then see the traffic easier and even control display with htaccess if I wanted. Legally I think it's wrong what Google does with it's cache of content they profit billions from.

 

[whitebark]

Already seeing them as a referrer on some of my websites and there is nothing wrong with that...

 

[realestatepro]

Cuil has a lot of potential. But does have some initial problems like their images issue. Have several websites listed in there and the photos do not always if ever seem to be directly related to the webpage.
They even have screen captions of competitors websites against websites as if they are related. If that isn't changed I am sure a lawsuit or two may present itself.

 

[MJ]

Its nice to finally have a search engine based on content rather than people cheating the system. Also nice to be completely anonymous.

 

[Ross]

Its nice to finally have a search engine based on content rather than people cheating the system. Also nice to be completely anonymous.

If it ever becomes an opponent to google then im sure it will be a matter of time before someone figures out how it works out and will set the results just like anywhere else.

 

[deleted984054565403]

Someone brought up a good point: Isn't Cuil how search engines of the past used to work? Wasn't Google created to get away from searches based solely on content?

 

[jmcc]

From Cuil.com: "Cuil is an old Irish word for knowledge"

So I guess this will be big in Ireland

Technically, they would be known in Ireland as 'gobsh1tes'. The old Irish word for knowledge is Eolas. The Irish word for wisdom is Feasa. As for that rubbish about Fionn McCool (Fhionn MacChumaill in Irish), Coill is the Irish for Hazel. The word 'cuil' is the Irish for fly or bug.

And as for the brand integrity of their domains - they really need some good IP advice on how to protect both their brand and choose a good domain. One typo is definitely not safe for work.

Regards...jmcc

http://www.focal.ie/Search.aspx?term=cuil

 

[Phil]

I find it interesting that although Wikipedia rules in PageRank on Google, you
can search for most anything - name of a band, car brand, tv show, etc. and it will
rank in the top 3 of results - you generally won't see this on Cuil. Clearly
Wikipedia gets lots of traffic and is usually very relevant information. I wonder
what it is about Cuil's methods of indexing that gives Wikipedia a poor showing?
Any ideas on this?

There we go! Lots of Wikipedia there now. :tu: