A new search service has just come to my attention, it is a human powered search engine named ChaCha! It has a rather crazy business idea, they are using real people (called guides)to do searches for people, the guides are paid between $5-$10/hour and searching is free. Right here is my conversation with one of the guides.

Status: Looking for a guide …
Status: Connected to guide: TeresaP
TeresaP: Welcome to ChaCha!
TeresaP: Hello, how are you?
You: are you a real person
TeresaP: Yes I am
You: That is so cool, I just came over to check out this service
TeresaP: What can I help you with today?
TeresaP: Awesome!
You: While I am here I am looking for the title of a dong played at American football games with the word “hey” in it
TeresaP: Sure no problem. One moment while I perform your search.
TeresaP: Thanks for being patient! Rest assured I’m finding the most relevant results for your search.
You: Thank you, I am willing to wait
TeresaP: Are the search result sufficient?
You: I don’t see a search result
TeresaP: If you do not seem them now they should show up at the end. This new beta sometimes has glitches.
TeresaP: Is there anything else I can help you with?
TeresaP: Thanks for using chacha.com and have a great day!
TeresaP: Please RATE ME. Thanks for using ChaCha.
Status: Session ended.

It was so nice, it took Teresa about 5 minutes to preform the search, but that was ok, I don’t mind waiting. Here is the results:

1. Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Open ‘Rock and Roll (Gary Glitter song) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia’ in a new window
“Rock and Roll”, also known as “The Hey Song,” is a song performed by British glam rocker Gary Glitter
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_Roll_(Gary_Glitter_song)
2. Glitter, Gary - Rock & Roll, Pt. 2 Lyrics - Rock & Roll, Pt. 2 - Lyrics On Demand Open ‘Glitter, Gary - Rock & Roll, Pt. 2 Lyrics - Rock & Roll, Pt. 2 - Lyrics On Demand’ in a new window
The Full Monty Soundtrack Lyrics Glitter, Gary - Rock & Roll
http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/f/thefullmontylyrics/rockrollpt2lyr…
3. Gary Glitter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Open ‘Gary Glitter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia’ in a new window
Gary Glitter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Glitter

Perfect, it could not have been better. I got just what I needed.

I just had to try this again, this time I searched for Former Us President Clinton S Grandmother On The Mothers Side. This time I had to go though two guides the first guide used almost 20 minutes and the second guide almost 10. And They were unable to find the name: Edith Cassidy. While waiting I did the search myself using Google, it took me less than 30 seconds.

Here is the conversation with the guides:

Status: Looking for a guide …
Status: Connected to guide: DanielG
DanielG: Welcome to ChaCha!
You: hello
DanielG: Hello i will be helping with your search!!
DanielG: Please be more specific as to what you’re looking for on this topic.
You: I am looking for the name of former US president Clintons grandmother on his mothers side.
DanielG: Thanks for being patient! Rest assured I’m finding the most relevant results for your search.
You: thank you
DanielG: still looking
You: that’s ok I am not in a hurry
DanielG: Im going to transfer you to another master guide
Transfer: You are being transfered to another guide who can help you search even better!
Looking for guide …
Status: Connected to guide: Michael W
Michael W: Welcome to ChaCha!
Michael W: hello
You: hello
Michael W: that is the wikipedia entry for Bill Clinton
Michael W: ill see if i can find you request
You: I don’t see any results
Michael W: ive sent one link
Michael W: to wikipedia
Michael W: a error may have occured
Michael W: you will get the result when we end
You: ok
Michael W: ill look a bit for you and then maybe we will consider ending the session for a better connection
Michael W: but you will see what i send
Michael W: let me see what i can find
Michael W: his mothers mother correct?
You: yes
Michael W: he was raised by a grandmother
Michael W: ive sent another article about this relationship
Michael W: ithere was a conflict between his mother and grandmother
You: thank you. I can’t see it, but hopefully it will show up at the end of the session, right?
Michael W: these links will be there when we end
Michael W: ok
Michael W: bye
Michael W: Please RATE ME. Thanks for using ChaCha.
Status: Session ended.

And here is the results drom the second guide:

1. Bill Clinton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Open ‘Bill Clinton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia’ in a new window
Bill Clinton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton
2. wiki bill clinton family tree - Google Search Open ‘wiki bill clinton family tree - Google Search’ in a new window
wiki bill clinton family tree - Google Search
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton
3. Printed Matter — David Maraniss — Page Open ‘Printed Matter — David Maraniss — Page’ in a new window
“He was raised by two women who were polar opposites,” said Maraniss. Clinton’s grandmother was a God-fearing and repressed woman while his mother, Virginia, was fun-loving and much more free-spirited
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/go/gizmo/maran.html
4. Bill Clinton - Victim of Women - According to Hillary! Open ‘Bill Clinton - Victim of Women - According to Hillary!’ in a new window
Bill Clinton - Victim of Women - According to Hillary!
http://www.rightgrrl.com/carolyn/bill080399.html

Not very good.

[tags]ChaCha, search[/tags]