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The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. |
| Wikia Search | |
|---|---|
| |
 The Wikia Search homepage in Safari | |
| URL | alpha.search.wikia.com |
| Commercial? | yes |
| Type of site | Search Engine |
| Registration | optional |
| Available language(s) | English |
| Owner | Wikia Inc. |
| Created by | Jimmy Wales |
| Launched | January 7, 2008 |
| Current status | active |
Wikia Search is a free and open-source Web search engine and a part of Wikia (originally Wikicities) operated by Wikia, Inc., a for-profit company founded in late 2004 by Jimmy Wales and Angela Beesley.The Book Stops Here. Wired News (2005-03-13). Retrieved on 2007-08-01. The "public alpha" was launched on January 7, 2008.The "public alpha" of Wikia search project This roll-out version of the search interface was widely criticized by reviewers in mainstream media.Wikipedia founder\'s search engine gets bad reviews (2008-01-07). Retrieved on 2008-01-07.Critics Wallop Wikia. Business Week (2008-01-08). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
On December 23, 2006, Wales made a passing comment regarding the possibility of a wiki-based internet search.Doran, James (December 23, 2006). Founder of Wikipedia plans search engine to rival Google. The Times. Retrieved on 2007-01-06. The result was extensive media coverage in multiple languages, in outlets like The Guardian, the Sydney Morning Herald, and online editions of Forbes and Business Week publishing the statement as an announcement, forcing the company to re-brand and relaunch its previous search engine proposal under the temporary name of "Search Wikia".About search
In a later interview, Wales attempted to clarify several issues. He said that funding received from Amazon.com was not specific to the search project and also restated that Wikia and Wikipedia have separate management, even though they shared three key stakeholders. When asked whether the project was "formally announced", he said it was partly planned and partly a response to news coverage.Q&A With Jimmy Wales On Search Wikia. Search Engine Land (2006-12-29). Retrieved on 2007-01-06.
On 31 January 2007, at a talk given at New York University, Wales announced that Wikia plans to build a search engine rivaling those of Google and Yahoo based on the kind of collaborative cooperation which has been so successful in developing Wikipedia, arguing that "search should be open, transparent, participatory, and democratic."Wales: Search Wikia Will Succeed Where Google Cannot, InformationWeek, 5 February 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2007. He later suggested this new approach could account for five percent of the search market.Wikipedia founder says to challenge Google, Yahoo, Reuters, 8 March 2007. Retrieved 9 March 2007.
On March 10, 2007, Gil Penchina, chief executive officer of Wikia, stated in an interview that the goal for the project is to get five percent of the search market and that a release date for services was not scheduled. "We\'re really trying to build a movement to make search free and open and transparent," Penchina said. "We have some servers up and people are hacking away." The free and open-source approach of utilizing programmers and users around the world is different from that used by major search providers such as Google and Yahoo, who keep most of their code secret, and could provide a search engine that lets users edit and fine tune its results.Jonathan Thaw, Wikia plans editable Web search engine[dead link], Bloomberg News, March 10, 2007
On December 24, 2007, Wales announced that Wikia Search had entered "private pre-alpha"Wales, Jimmy (2007-12-24). private pre-alpha invites available. Retrieved on 2007-12-24."Wikia Search Project to Launch Jan. 7, Wales says", The Washington Post, 2007-12-24. Retrieved on 2007-12-24. .
This search engine includes a feature of human-written mini articles. That allows people to match key words with their profile. Profile\'s functions are Status, Basic profil, White board, Albums, Friends, Personal and Work informations.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia
