Google Interests launches

The first version of one of my side projects is now up on appspot.  I created this App, because I wanted a way to conduct data mining of particular subjects that interest me.  In essence the app does diffs of Google search requests over time.  It gives a way to store and visualize the Google search history of terms.  These terms become an “interest” with the inclusion of a NLP element.  Terms can just be what you choose, but, the idea is to use an NLP engine to use your search terms and create a better query using some NLP’s engines notion of taxonomy.  The NLP component has not been implemented yet, but, the search history has.  I’m still working on the guts of this App, so please be gentle.

Its my first GWT app as well so it has provided an opportunity for me to learn a lot.  This App is my focus right now since I am using such good tools to develop it and learn so much in the process.  I am looking for UI designers and HCIL experts to help me design the interface so if you are interested please drop me a note.

Problems of being a large company, or why GWT and AppEngine don’t work well together

I wasted about a week on a known issue with GWT and AppEngine (link).  The basic problem is that GWT requires the source of a Java class in order to provide access to that class on the client side.  The issue is that age old problem of front end and back end version of objects that you encounter a lot.  The fix would be if the App Engine team had done some consultation with the GWT team so that this restriction of the GWT wouldn’t mean trouble for developers using both.  As it stands I’m going to use the light version of object solution.

Sucks that this problem exists, but, its what happens with a large company.  Two teams go off and do something and the results are a little incompatible.  It happens.