Comments on: Center’d Gets A Facelift, Introduces Semantic Analysis For Smarter Local Activity Guide http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/ Startup and Technology News Fri, 27 Nov 2009 03:10:16 -0800 hourly 1 By: TCCritic http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2722024 TCCritic Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:55:14 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2722024 OMG I love it when TC posts "news" without even checking the website. It took me 5 minutes to try "Center'd" out and decide that it's really cr@p. Try clicking on "Boston" or "Seattle" and check out the recommendations about things to do. Boston without a visit to MIT or Harvard or the Charles River? Seattle without mentioning the Space Needle? The UI is really all over the place and using Arial (?) as a font is a strange design choice. Other than that what's with the Google adwords? I actually saw an ad to climbing Kilimanjaro when I was checking out San Francisco reviews. I hate websites that ruin the user experience by placing Google Adwords. Banners would probably work better. Bottom line, this site is still sub-alpha, I'm surprised they've done any PR about it, I'd get contents first and then carefully test the waters. Jason - do us all a favor and actually check the websites you're writing about it before posting a "review". OMG I love it when TC posts “news” without even checking the website.

It took me 5 minutes to try “Center’d” out and decide that it’s really cr@p. Try clicking on “Boston” or “Seattle” and check out the recommendations about things to do. Boston without a visit to MIT or Harvard or the Charles River?
Seattle without mentioning the Space Needle?

The UI is really all over the place and using Arial (?) as a font is a strange design choice.

Other than that what’s with the Google adwords? I actually saw an ad to climbing Kilimanjaro when I was checking out San Francisco reviews. I hate websites that ruin the user experience by placing Google Adwords. Banners would probably work better.

Bottom line, this site is still sub-alpha, I’m surprised they’ve done any PR about it, I’d get contents first and then carefully test the waters.

Jason – do us all a favor and actually check the websites you’re writing about it before posting a “review”.

]]> By: Zack Steven http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721565 Zack Steven Wed, 29 Apr 2009 05:14:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721565 Wow - tough crowd leaving comments! As someone working on "local" (http://localtweeps.com, the local Twitter directory) I think the idea of semantic analysis is interesting. The opportunity really lies in helping people find relevant and credible content in an increasingly dynamic stream. A big piece of the picture is understanding who/where the content comes from, not just what it says (as Yelp has been reminded). At a certain point it comes down to relationships and trust. There's only so much that "analysis" can do. Wow – tough crowd leaving comments! As someone working on “local” (http://localtweeps.com, the local Twitter directory) I think the idea of semantic analysis is interesting. The opportunity really lies in helping people find relevant and credible content in an increasingly dynamic stream. A big piece of the picture is understanding who/where the content comes from, not just what it says (as Yelp has been reminded). At a certain point it comes down to relationships and trust. There’s only so much that “analysis” can do.

]]> By: james http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721506 james Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:21:26 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721506 These guys have been roaming around and been copying sites and concepts. There is nothing original about them! These guys have been roaming around and been copying sites and concepts. There is nothing original about them!

]]> By: Jeremy Goodrich http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721437 Jeremy Goodrich Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:23:55 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721437 As much as I'd like to cheer on a fellow Yahoo alumni (Hi Jen & Chandu, thanks for lunch). Thing is...well, take a look at the home page. Go on. See that "thanksgiving" link from 2008? Yes, I thought so... ...now, take a look at quantcast....they are quantified...then, ask yourself: why this & not yelp? Insiderpages? Craigslist or CitySearch? Or...(gasp) judysbook? Sorry guys, this isn't it...and when your home page says "be a fan on facebook" and while facebook isn't a local play, it has (seemingly, from what I've heard) as much local content...*and* the new myspace local actually rocks (did I say that?) and let's not forget, Yahoo Local, or MSN Local...or AOL Local... ...well, just why would this spread? Or why would consumers end up here? Is it the thanksgiving menu left to rot on the home page, or what? (sorry). Perhaps the ...well, third draft will work better...as the site said it was "first draft" before...or maybe they can trot out fatdoor again? As much as I’d like to cheer on a fellow Yahoo alumni (Hi Jen & Chandu, thanks for lunch).

Thing is…well, take a look at the home page. Go on. See that “thanksgiving” link from 2008?

Yes, I thought so…

…now, take a look at quantcast….they are quantified…then, ask yourself: why this & not yelp? Insiderpages? Craigslist or CitySearch?

Or…(gasp) judysbook?

Sorry guys, this isn’t it…and when your home page says “be a fan on facebook” and while facebook isn’t a local play, it has (seemingly, from what I’ve heard) as much local content…*and* the new myspace local actually rocks (did I say that?) and let’s not forget, Yahoo Local, or MSN Local…or AOL Local…

…well, just why would this spread? Or why would consumers end up here?

Is it the thanksgiving menu left to rot on the home page, or what? (sorry).

Perhaps the …well, third draft will work better…as the site said it was “first draft” before…or maybe they can trot out fatdoor again?

]]> By: cotton candy kyle http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721405 cotton candy kyle Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:42:45 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721405 yeah, but will they beat out google? sounds like a good idea, but i don't know... yeah, but will they beat out google? sounds like a good idea, but i don’t know…

]]> By: George http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721382 George Wed, 29 Apr 2009 02:14:58 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721382 I would use this. I'm always looking for something new to try. Additionally if something could be customized for me to fit my price range even better. Hope practice = theory. I would use this. I’m always looking for something new to try. Additionally if something could be customized for me to fit my price range even better. Hope practice = theory.

]]> By: CenterLocator.com http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721336 CenterLocator.com Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:33:32 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721336 i think they need a namelift. like the sites functionality. LocalDepot.com - near you i think they need a namelift. like the sites functionality.

LocalDepot.com – near you

]]> By: johnnie http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721291 johnnie Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:37:56 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721291 I'd like to see Jen succeed, but I've never understood this company from the beginning. Why would a consumer actually go there? I’d like to see Jen succeed, but I’ve never understood this company from the beginning. Why would a consumer actually go there?

]]> By: Falafulu Fisi http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721189 Falafulu Fisi Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:27:03 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721189 If Jennifer Dulski is talking about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latent_semantic_analysis" rel="nofollow">LSI</a> (Latent Semantic Indexing), then she is hyping. This has been available for over 2 decades since <a href="http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/people/sdumais/" rel="nofollow">Prof. Susan Dumais</a> of Microsoft & others first patented it. Of course there are different existing variants of LSI and new ones always emerge from research literatures, of which they do vary in their accuracies, but if she has developed a better proprietary LSI , then that's good for her service. If Jennifer Dulski is talking about LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing), then she is hyping. This has been available for over 2 decades since Prof. Susan Dumais of Microsoft & others first patented it.

Of course there are different existing variants of LSI and new ones always emerge from research literatures, of which they do vary in their accuracies, but if she has developed a better proprietary LSI , then that’s good for her service.

]]> By: technotopia http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/04/28/centerd-introduces-semantic-analysis-for-smarter-activity-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-2721173 technotopia Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:18:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/?p=60199#comment-2721173 centerd.com could become the craigslist of effluvia. Or the Wikipedia of databasing epistemology valuation $2 billion centerd.com could become the craigslist of effluvia. Or the Wikipedia of databasing epistemology valuation $2 billion

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