Quaero, the future European Google?
Some people have already nicknamed it the "Internet Airbus". Named Quaero, the future European search engine will have the considerable task of taking on the American giant, Google, notably for searching video files. Behind this ambitious project is a decision taken in April 2005 by the President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, to establish a "European Google", involving firms from both countries (Thomson, Deutsche Telekom, France Télécom, and others). The French engine, Exalead, which will supply the new text-research technology for Quaero, plans to index 8 billion web pages between now and the end of the summer, when it will be launched. That is the equivalent to a "half-Google", according to François Bourdoncle, the company’s chairman and managing director. It is a big challenge: with Quaero, Europe will attempt to catch up with the technology of the United States.
Twenty-three European private firms led by Thomson will receive €99 million (US$152 million) from the French government to help develop a European rival to Google. The European Commission approved the funding after finding that the research and cultural benefits of the project – called QUAERO (Latin for “I seek”) – will offset any market dominance gained by Thomson. The investment, however, only covers approximately half of the estimated costs of the project; the project is estimated to cost €199 million (US$306 million) over the five first years. QUAERO aims to be a multimedia search engine that will work across all online digital media platforms including mobile phones, PCs, set-top-boxes and handheld devices. The engine will index content in several languages and will provide content management tools for media producers to promote their material.
Source: French Government Web Site
Twenty-three European private firms led by Thomson will receive €99 million (US$152 million) from the French government to help develop a European rival to Google. The European Commission approved the funding after finding that the research and cultural benefits of the project – called QUAERO (Latin for “I seek”) – will offset any market dominance gained by Thomson. The investment, however, only covers approximately half of the estimated costs of the project; the project is estimated to cost €199 million (US$306 million) over the five first years. QUAERO aims to be a multimedia search engine that will work across all online digital media platforms including mobile phones, PCs, set-top-boxes and handheld devices. The engine will index content in several languages and will provide content management tools for media producers to promote their material.
Source: French Government Web Site
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