rednano or yes

When SPH labels its just-out-of-the-stove rednano search engine as a beta product, it really means it. So far, I have runned three searches through it - 'LTA', 'ERP' and 'Lee Kuan Yew'. The results returned look ok, but the page loading just doesn't seem to end although all results for the first page is completely displayed in the browser. I am using Firefox 2 (latest stable version, not the version 3 beta) and I can open another tab, no problem. But when I try to tab back to the rednano results page, or indeed to any tab opened earlier, it just doesn't do so. It is as if the browser has hung. A look at the tab containing the rednano page indicates that the page is still being loaded. The only way out of this lock is to first close all the tabs, which will get you back to the tab containing the rednano page, and then click on the browser's stop button. Then only can you take control of that page and do another search, or close the tab. Internet Explorer 7 is more explicit about the problem. The error is 'Stack overflow at line 0', whatever that means. But you can overcome the problem by ignoring the error. (p.s. as of today, 20th Mar, this error seem to have been resolved).

This is not a very promising start to a custom search engine that focuses on searching Singapore sites only. Actually, I wonder if SPH has wasted money and time developing this custom search engine in the first place. A roughly similar result can be obtained through Google by putting the 'site:sg' directive after the search word/phrase on google.com.sg. I tried it, and yes, roughly the same results are returned. Well, the rednano results seem to be more targeted as opposed to google.com.sg, but any refinement to the searches in Google can be handled by further refining the search directive. For example, indicate .gov to return only government sites, or .com sites for commercial related sites.

If this is consistently so, why do we need rednano anyway? But of course, for SPH, it will be a great advertising avenue, though it is a tad late in this game. Better late than never, I suppose.

	rednano search results for 'LTA'. Search done on 19 March 2008
	Google.com.sg search results for 'LTA'. Search done on 19 March 2008