The next big thing after "instant messaging" software is going to be something called "instant experting". Like AOL's Instant Messenger software, it is almost instant and dead easy to use. It's Internet-based yet browserless. And it's a bit like a search engine - only it gets rid of all the fiddly bits.
The free "instant expert" software, which was unveiled last week, is called GuruNet. This relatively small (714k) application is easily one of the most intriguing, invaluable and sublime pieces of software you're likely to come across this year. Basically it lets you click on any word on your computer screen, and GuruNet grabs an instant definition about the word from the Net.
Okay, it's still in beta (test) stage, and has one or two rough edges. Even so, the beta for Windows PCs is well worth downloading from the company's website (at www.guru.net). Once you've installed the GuruNet client software on your PC, you can look up any word on your screen - not just in your web browser but in any other application such as a word processor - by simply moving your mouse pointer over the word, holding down your Alt key and clicking.
The GuruNet client then sends a request over the Net to the company's massive servers. These hold information on the word you've selected, such as its dictionary definition, an encyclopaedia entry or even a collection of news articles or business reports. Then after two or three seconds (if you're using a fast corporate network) this additional information pops up in the client software's window.
After using it for a week I've found it not only faster and handier compared with most search engines and online dictionaries - like instant messaging software, it totally streamlines your online experience - it's also often far more useful and relevant too. GuruNet claims to understand the context of the word, not just the word itself.
Admittedly, though, searches can be a bit hit-or-miss. Clicking on "Reynolds" gives an entry from the Columbia Electronic Encyclopaedia about the former taoiseach, but "Longford" gets no results and pulls up a standard search engine menu instead. Doing an "Alt+click" on the word "Microsoft" gives a description of the software company, and potted financial details for the previous nine months. There are several other clever features, such as the ability to suggest your own links (say, to Microsoft's home page) and find out what links other people recommend on the topic. There's even a "Books" option, which takes you to major online bookstores to see what titles are available on the topic.
The company behind the software, Guru International, is a Palo Alto start-up, although its R&D crew are based in Jerusalem. Its line-up of initial investors is impressive, including former Apple boss John Sculley, former Perot Systems CEO Morton Meyerson, and Yossi Vardi - one of the early backers of Mirabilis - the Israeli software company whose ICQ Internet messaging product was bought by America Online (AOL).
The Guru people say that (unlike AOL's Instant Messenger) they won't be putting banner ads on the software, because they reckon this only slows down response times. Instead, they aim to get a cut of the business generated by traffic they direct towards e-commerce sites. And a major revenue stream in the short term will come from customising the software for companies' in-house glossaries.
So far GuruNet is Windows- only, but Mac and Linux versions are in the pipeline - by rights a Java version should be too. The program only works if you have at least version 4 of Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which in turn could leave you open to some of Explorer's security holes (in which case you might want to wait for the Netscape-only version).
Meanwhile, what's the betting that Microsoft in four or five months' time will want in and try to "glue" its own GuruNet-like facility into Windows?