Computational knowledge engine (search engine) Wolfram Alpha is live

Wolfram Alpha, the latest search engine, is live, and it rocks.

It’s a must check out for journalists and anyone doing research. Check that, Wolfram Alpha is a computational knowledge engine.

It’s not a search engine in the mold of Google. It doesn’t spit out search results ala Google, but rather it spits out answers. Its main value is in answering objective queries. This is what Google shows for the query: who was the first president of the United States?

The first result in Google is for John Hanson, the first president of United States Congress under the Articles of Confederation, but not the first president of the United States, George Washington. Here is what Wolfram Alpha displays instead:

If there is a definitive answer to your query, Wolfram Alpha will display it, and there is only one correct answer to my query about the first president of the United States. Not only does it display answers, instead of search results, but it also displays them in a visually appealing way. The Wolfram Alpha results are always well displayed, often with charts and graphs.

So, what’s not to like about this new “computational knowledge engine?” First, it is finicky about what will yield results and what won’t. You have to be careful how you enter your queries.

Many people are bad at using Google, but Google still spits out results regardless (not always good results, mind you). Wolfram Alpha does not allow for poor syntax or poor queries.

The other main issue with Wolfram Alpha is that it can only synthesize answers to specific questions. Open ended queries and searches are much better suited for Google. In that sense, it is a fantastic complement to Google, not a replacement.

Also keep in mind that Wolfram Alpha can only give you answers to objective facts, like “the highest mountain.” It will not yield results to subjective queries like,  ” what’s the most beautiful place on earth?”

Check out this query result on Wolfram Alpha: