It’s a contest! Predict the future of federated search

The Federated Search Blog is launching a writing contest.

What will the landscape of federated search look like in ten years?

Three prizes will be awarded by blog sponsor Deep Web Technologies for the best original essays predicting the future of federated search technology.

• First prize is $500.
• Second prize is $250.
• Third prize is $100.

Update 7/10/08: Submission deadline has been changed to October 31, 2008. Also, the first prize winner’s entry will be published in Computers In Libraries Magazine and the first prize winner agrees to present his or her winning essay at the Computers In Libraries Conference March 30-April 1, 2009. Deep Web Technologies will pay travel and lodging expenses for the first prize winner.

Here are some things to think about - but don’t limit your creativity to these:
… Will there be fewer vendors? More vendors?
… Will Google play in the space?
… What new features will there be?
… How will the user experience be different?
… What influence will the open source movement have?
… How will personalization influence the technology?
… What role will visualization play?
… How might the relationship between content providers and federated search vendors change?
… What effect will faster networks and more powerful servers have?
… Will there be a new paradigm altogether?

Contest rules

1. The winning entries will not exceed 1,500 words.
2. Winning entries will be selected based on writing quality, originality, and vision.
3. All entries must be in English.
4. All entries must be original.
5. Entries shall not include essays that have been previously commercially published. Simultaneous submissions to commercial publishers or other contests are not allowed.
6. Entries will be judged by a panel of experts in the federated search industry.
7. Judges will not be biased by being told whose entries they are reviewing.
8. The decisions of the judges are final.
9. Those submitting winning entries agree to have their essays published in this blog. Beyond publication in this blog, authors retain full rights to their work.
10. Update 7/10/08: First prize winner agrees to have his or her essay published in Computers In Libraries magazine.
11. Update 7/10/08: First prize winner agrees to present his or her winning essay at the Computers in Libraries 2009 Conference, in Arlington, VA March 30-April 1, 2009. Deep Web Technologies will pay travel and lodging expenses.

Eligibility

1. Everyone is eligible to enter except individuals judging the entries and their immediate families.
2. Update 7/10/08: Employees of contest sponsor Deep Web Technologies are not eligible to enter.
3. No entry fee is required.
4. By entering, all entrants expressly agree to be bound by all the terms of the Contest Rules.

Time frame for contest

1. All entries must be received before 12:01 AM Pacific Daylight Time on August 1, 2008. (See item 3 for change to submission date.)
2. Winners will be announced on or before September 1, 2008. (See item 3 for change to announcement date.)
3. Update 7/10/08: All entries must be received before 11:59PM Pacific Daylight Time on October 31, 2008.
4. Update 7/10/08: Date of announcement of winners is to be determined.

Submitting your essay

1. Entries must be submitted as an attachment to an email sent to the email address sol.lederman at gmail dot com. The entry so attached must be in .txt (ASCII text) or .doc (Microsoft Word) format.
2. Entries will be acknowledged by return email.
3. Each entry file must begin with the following header. Header information must only appear one time, and at the beginning of the file. Do not repeat on each “page”.

      Title
      Author’s name
      Email address
      Mailing address
      Telephone number
      Word count

Miscellaneous
This contest is void where prohibited by law. Any taxes due on contest winnings, levied by any taxing agency or jurisdiction are the sole responsibility of the prize winners.

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Tags: federated search