Anyone using Grokker for searches?

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

I just started the 30-day free trial yesterday. It’s availble at http://www.groxis.com - I’m not associated with this site in any way, other than as a curious possible future purchaser.

I was reading the site and a review of it and it seemed like it would be a neat way to search. You open the application, type in your search terms and then hit “grok”. Once it finds results, it creates a map of the results in the “zooming box”.

I’m still learning it, but I’m kind of frustrated with it, since it still feels counterintuitive to me. It’s supposed to group the items, but the way they are grouped seem odd to me. I’m still working with it though.

It also seems slow, BUT I accept that this is likely due to my dialup connection. Once campus is open again next week, I’ll head down there with the laptop and see what kind of results I get.

So, if you’re using or trying Grokker, what do you think of it? Does it get better/seem more intuitive the more you use it?
Because I can see uses for this if it turns out to be something I like.

#2

Lsura,

I must say I did download the Grokker package and I did not see that much value from it. In this clustering or organizing arena I think that Vivisimo is the leader at this type of software search overlay.

Grokker and Vivisimo have been compared; “You could think of Vivisimo as graphical search for the left brain, and Grokker as the right brain version”.

http://www.internetnews.com/IAR/article.php/3289001

Either way I do think that search is in desperate need for a higher level of categorization so it will be interesting to see how far these companies can take it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR,

Scott