Keyword searches with an understanding of search syntax was always king.
Isn’t that only because of the limitations of the available technology only being able to handle simple strings, though? Conversational computing has been a pipe dream since early sci-fi, where characters would talk to their computers as if they were human; George Jetson never spoke to Rosie in keyword queries.
I feel like keyword search syntax being “king” is more of a symptom, than an intentional choice.
This is a very good point - in books/dramas it helps the exposition to have a character you can relay half the plot details to. Similarly in radio dramas, every conversation between characters starts with saying each others names and a full recap of whatever the subject is… But nobody in the real world does or wants to talk like that.
Real people just say “hey, is that thing fixed yet?”, not “hello Chris, you remember yesterday we were discussing the il problem with the Thing, and you proposed Cornfootling it; what happened?”
When I want Alexa to turn on the lights, I want to just say “Alexa, turn on the lights”, not have a goddamned debate. And when I want to search for whatever the hell Cornfootling is, I just want to type “Cornfootling” and hit search.
Isn’t that only because of the limitations of the available technology only being able to handle simple strings, though? Conversational computing has been a pipe dream since early sci-fi, where characters would talk to their computers as if they were human; George Jetson never spoke to Rosie in keyword queries.
I feel like keyword search syntax being “king” is more of a symptom, than an intentional choice.
You realise that the reason conversational computing is so popular in science fiction, is because it looks better on camera, right.
This is a very good point - in books/dramas it helps the exposition to have a character you can relay half the plot details to. Similarly in radio dramas, every conversation between characters starts with saying each others names and a full recap of whatever the subject is… But nobody in the real world does or wants to talk like that.
Real people just say “hey, is that thing fixed yet?”, not “hello Chris, you remember yesterday we were discussing the il problem with the Thing, and you proposed Cornfootling it; what happened?”
When I want Alexa to turn on the lights, I want to just say “Alexa, turn on the lights”, not have a goddamned debate. And when I want to search for whatever the hell Cornfootling is, I just want to type “Cornfootling” and hit search.