Microsoft Blogger?

We were given NDA absolution from Susan Dumais a few minutes ago. She presented a very interesting (unique, off-the-radar) utility that would definitely boost personalized Web searches on the desktop (not available for download, naturally). We heard from another researcher, Eric Brill, who is also from the same center; he demonstrated his work with natural language queries. I don't know - is using the word “query” natural? Lili Cheng discussed the social aspect of searching, illustrating a sweet little personal / cluster mapping tool (not available for download, naturally). She also explained a little more about Wallop (YASN). I was hoping to meet the Portrait guy (and maybe the ConferenceXP team). I suppose those introductions will have to wait. We're watching search researchers - and if they do it again, will that make them re-searching researchers?

I can't say much about what we've seen in the past couple of days, but I think they've got a few good thinkers working in the background. Now, if only the corporate machine would let 'em use Keynote instead of PowerPoint! And since I'm relaying this to you from Building 31 on campus, does that make me an unofficial Microsoft blogger? Do they have that on a t-shirt in the company store?

Robert is uncharacteristically absent / silent this morning - I'm starting to get worried. Perhaps he's out buying music for Steve's new iPod? Since Ponzi and Maryam hit it off, we've been asked to return to this corner of the country soon. Flying home tonight… picking up the pups tomorrow. Oh yes, the vet successfully converted them to dog UNIX eunuchs early last week.

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