Has Apple forgotten Sherlock?

[Ceroc Addict]

Just a thought:

Isn't a lot of Sherlock/Watson functionality going to be given to us via Dashboard?

i.e. Webcams, stock tickers, world clock, translators, etc (+ whatever the developer community chooses to create)

I think I prefer the Dashboard solution from a user interface point of view.

Am I missing something?

Kap

[karavite]

I don't know Ceroc - I have never played with any pre releases of Tiger, but if the functionality comes back and it works, well I will be happy. UI or not, what has happened with Sherlock, at least in the yellow pages, is it simply no longer functions. The data is all loused up and you most often get garbage on a search.

Okay, from what I see at http://www.apple.com/macosx/tiger/dashboard.html, this is not a direct replacement for Sherlock - datebook, stock ticker and other common tools (address, calculator). Spotlight seems limited to searching on the computer, so Sherlock's features for searching yellow pages, images, movies, phone book ebay, flights, dictionary and translation are just not there. That is unless Sherlock is also part of Tiger, but Spotlight is using its little magnifying icon (minus the hat), so I'm guessing Sherlock is dead.

If it is, why can't Apple just say they are punting on it? I am so sick of marketing department driven BS (like simply not mentioning something that is being sunset/dropped) - just tell us up front. We won't run away or laugh. I mean come on, not everything works out or can be supported while you are trying to build new computers and OS's.

[Ceroc Addict]

http://www.macminute.com/2004/09/23/watson/

Kap

[ora]

Originally Posted by karavite

so Sherlock's features for searching yellow pages, images, movies, phone book ebay, flights, dictionary and translation are just not there.

A side note, on recommendation of someone here (i forget who) I've been using a search plugin for Safari called acidsearch. It comes with a bunch of preset search channels (like google images, google news, ebay, imdb etc etc), but what really impresses me is that if you navigate to a site with a search function and tell it to add a search channel it seems to automatically understand the syntax the search system uses. For instance, i set up a channel for searching this board just by going to the search page and hitting add. I wonder if you might be able to use this to replace some of the sherlock features you and other have mentioned here.

[karavite]

Thanks Ora - I installed acidsearch! Still missing my local yellow pages search - the one thing I really liked about Sherlock when it first came out. Having my computer be so connected to stores and places in my area was really cool.

[Convert]

You can use Yellow Pages on Sherlock? Directly? I know how to search for it, and then visit the site in Safari, but is it possible to seearch yellow pages within Sherlock?

[jego]

Sherlock is too slow and everything is about the USA, so I dont really have a use for it.

[fryke]

Apple's guess probably was that people and developers would JUMP on Sherlock to extend and embrace it. They probably never wanted to do the actual _work_ of making it up to date and useful around the world. (Embrace and _let_ extend...?) Guess that plan just didn't work out.

However: That plan _did_ work out for, say, Safari/WebKit. People and developers _are_ using that, apparently.

Now: The demonstration of the newest Sherlock was quite impressive. I mean I'd love to use it that way. Enter pizza and get the delivery services in my vicinity. However: That's exactly what, internationally, just never happened.

Btw.: For dictionary stuff, OmniDictionary (free!) is the best, basically. There are even instructions somewhere on how to use OmniDictionary locally, i.e. when you're not connected to the 'net. Basically, you just have to download a whole lot of dictionaries (and keep them updated) and start a local dictionary server. I've tried this once about two years ago, and it worked beautifully. However: I AM quite connected and I did _not_ want to keep it updated by hand. Hence, I'm using it when online and I connect to the 'net through GPRS/Nokia 6600 when on the road if I really need the dictionary.