I am looking for all instances of the phrase "controlled release" that
refer to the release of software, but do not include reference to
controlled release medications or other chemicals.

The standard Google Avanced Search doesn't work for me because there
are a lot of pages that have actual references to controlled release
medications or other chemicals but do not use the word "medication" or
"chemical".

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Request for Question Clarification by easterangel-ga on 15 Dec 2002 23:17 PST

Hi! I have tried to list the different types of links that you require
but they are too many to be practically accomodated. I'm planning to
just put up the link to my Google Search. It still has links to the
medical and chemical types but the result I got is mostly on the
software side. I was able to narrow down the search to only 2,210
items. Would this be considered as a legitimate answer? Just let me
know. :)

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Clarification of Question by baai-ga on 16 Dec 2002 08:20 PST

Than ks for getting back to me.  What I am trying to determine is how
common the exact phrase "controlled release" is in the computer
industry.  This has become an issue in a legal matter where one side
is contending that the phrase is not a common term and therefore has
no real meaning or connotation and the other side contends that it is
a commonly used term that has a connotation of lesser quality, when
compared to the terms "general release", "commercial release" or just
"released".

I have basically no intention of actually reviewing all of the
software-related links on the term, but believe that if it is NOT
widely used, that would tend to support the first contention and if it
IS widely used that would be the first step in supporting the second
contention.

Thus the fact that you found over 2200 links (if they were all or
nearly all software-related) IS a legitimate answer.  It is also a
legitimate answer if one could come up with an approximate percentage
of the links that were software-related.

Another way of approaching the determination I am trying to make would
be to find definitions for the term "controlled release" on the
websites of a few known computer companies.  I am not trying to find
any particular definition, but rather to find what the consensus is --
if there is one -- regardless of which side of the controversy that
consensus comes down on.  I would consider this a SEPARATE SEARCH, and
would be willing to pay another $25 for an answer to it . . . can you
effect that, or do I have to go to the main question entry point and
ask it separately there?

Dear baai,

You requested instances of the phrase "controlled release" that 
refer to the release of software, but do not include reference to 
controlled release medications or other chemicals. 

Advanced Google would not work that well because you could only
request up to 100 links at a time.  However, I have done some textual
analysis and optimization, and have managed to run the following
search string on Google (not advanced) –

"controlled release" +software -science -drug -book -fertilizer* -situ
-society –nitrogen

1,210 hits result.  If you look through the first few pages, there are
one or two non-software related hits on each results page.  They
cannot be completely eliminated because Google only allows ten words
in the search string.  I had managed to reduce the number of hits to
1,140, but in that instance received less software-related pages
because common terms are also eliminated.

Based on this analysis I believe you can safely assume there are
approximately 1,000 pages on the Web that use the term “controlled
release” in reference to software.  An exact count, however, would
require that you review every single one of the 121 results pages.

I hope this response adequately addresses your request.  Please let me
know if you are in need of additional information concerning this
query.

Thanks,
ragingacademic


Search Strategy:

"controlled release" +software -science -drug -book -fertilizer* -situ
-society –nitrogen

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Request for Answer Clarification by baai-ga on 16 Dec 2002 16:31 PST

Looks good ... I understand all the "subtractions" other than the
-situ ... why is that there?  what does it remove?

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Clarification of Answer by ragingacademic-ga on 16 Dec 2002 17:07 PST

baai - 

First, thanks for your rating and comments!  Much obliged.

The -situ removes any pages that refer to medical procedures and
include "in situ" in the text.  For some reason, "in situ" as a phrase
did not work and Google removed all pages with the word "in" - leaving
only a handful of pages, of course!

Glad this information helps!

thanks,
ragingacademic

A very good, if not perfect, answer.  I'd actually rate it 4-1/2 stars if I could.