Includes bibliographical references (pages 287-299) and index.

[In this book, the author] explores the history of Web search companies and portals, including AltaVista, GoTo, Excite, Lycos, and, to a fuller extent, Yahoo. However, his primary focus is the development of Google and its search technology. An introductory look at basic online search technology segues to an examination of Google's own search algorithms. Interviews with Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page and CEO Eric Schmidt provide insight into the corporate rationale of Google. For the most part, the examination of Google is neutral. However, the author directly challenges the company's acquiescent stance on online censorship in China as well as Google's ambiguous privacy policy, and in so doing, directly challenges the company's motto "Don't be evil." [The author] contrasts Google's initial venture as primarily a search company to its ever-increasing forays into media development and delivery. The implications of the industry's research into smarter searches, through the development and application of personalized, predictive, and semantic technologies, are also discussed. An easy-to-read and well-organized examination of Google's history, this book is for computer science and business collections as well as for general readers.-http://www.booksinprint.com.

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