12/10/2009 1
The Web’s Missing Links: The Web’s Missing Links:
The Search Engine & Portal Industry The Search Engine & Portal Industry
Thomas Haigh Thomas Haigh
www.tomandmaria.com/tom www.tomandmaria.com/tom
Thomas Haigh Thomas Haigh The Haigh Group & The Haigh Group & University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee thaigh@computer.org thaigh@computer.org ETH, ETH, Informatik Informatik Lunch, 18 June 2007 Lunch, 18 June 2007
About Me About Me
Dual training
Dual training
B.Sc. & M.Eng in Computer Science (Manchester)
B.Sc. & M.Eng in Computer Science (Manchester)
Ph.D. in History & Sociology of Science (Pennsylvania)
Ph.D. in History & Sociology of Science (Pennsylvania)
Main interest in history of IT use in US business
Main interest in history of IT use in US business
Published papers on history of
Published papers on history of
Management Information Systems concept
Management Information Systems concept
www.tomandmaria.com/tom www.tomandmaria.com/tom
Management Information Systems concept Management Information Systems concept
Early data processing
Early data processing
DBMS concept
DBMS concept
Word Processing
Word Processing
Packaged software industry
Packaged software industry
Sources for ACM history
Sources for ACM history
Chair SHOT SIG on Computers, Information, Society
Chair SHOT SIG on Computers, Information, Society
Involved with IEEE, SIAM & ACM projects
Involved with IEEE, SIAM & ACM projects
Background of Project Background of Project
Two chapters in MIT Press edited book, “The
Two chapters in MIT Press edited book, “The Internet & American Business,” Aspray & Ceruzzi Internet & American Business,” Aspray & Ceruzzi
Software infrastructure chapter
Software infrastructure chapter – – web, email, web, email, protocols protocols
www.tomandmaria.com/tom www.tomandmaria.com/tom Search and portals (“Web navigation business”)
Search and portals (“Web navigation business”)
Contemporary history, somewhat journalistic
Contemporary history, somewhat journalistic
Recounting of basic events from secondary sources
Recounting of basic events from secondary sources
Focus on interplay between technology and business
Focus on interplay between technology and business models models
Aims Aims
1. 1.
Situate web with respect to other electronic Situate web with respect to other electronic publishing technologies publishing technologies
And earlier Internet story And earlier Internet story
2. 2.
Tie together Tie together
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g
Web publishing economics Web publishing economics
Web navigation economics Web navigation economics
Technical choices built into web design Technical choices built into web design
3. 3.
Write analytical history from journalistic Write analytical history from journalistic sources sources
Social Construction of Technology Social Construction of Technology
Two key concepts established since 1980s Two key concepts established since 1980s
1: Mutual shaping of technologies and
1: Mutual shaping of technologies and society society
Influence of social factors on technological
Influence of social factors on technological
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Influence of social factors on technological
Influence of social factors on technological design choices design choices
2: Power of technological SYSTEMS
2: Power of technological SYSTEMS
Combine users, firms, standards, technologies
Combine users, firms, standards, technologies
Lock
Lock-
- in effects of dominant systems as
in effects of dominant systems as “Technological Momentum” “Technological Momentum”
Reconstruction of Technology Reconstruction of Technology
Commercialization of Internet infrastructure
Commercialization of Internet infrastructure
What happens when an already “shaped”
What happens when an already “shaped” technology gets technology gets
New uses
New uses
www.tomandmaria.com/tom www.tomandmaria.com/tom New uses
New uses
New “relevant social groups”
New “relevant social groups”
New cultural meanings
New cultural meanings
Thoughts at the back of my mind
Thoughts at the back of my mind
VHS vs Beta, QWERTY vs. Dvorak?
VHS vs Beta, QWERTY vs. Dvorak? – –
which is the net?
which is the net?