Google and the Orion Algorithm

Google Inc. has acquired "Orion" search engine technology from an Australian university that last year described the product as potentially revolutionary.

The software's inventor, Ori Allon, is now an employee of Google. "Orion" is a complement for queries running on search engines such Google, Yahoo Inc. and MSN Search.
Orion provides an expanded text excerpt from the list of web site results so the user does not have to click over multiple web pages to see the information relevant to a search query. It also displays results which are topically related to the keywords the user entered. This helps you gain additional information you might not have originally conceived, thus offering an expert search without having an expert's knowledge.

What Will the Search Results Look Like?
Search engine companies recognize that their engines need to move away from the model of providing long lists of search results, and instead aim to provide the specific facts users want. To varying degrees, major search engines deliver a digest of information collated from various online sources, particularly for queries involving news, weather, movies, actors, celebrities, and geographical locations.

To some degree Ask.com provides this function. Go to Ask.com and search ‘Virginia’. On the left there are alternative categories related to ‘Virginia’ under ‘Narrow Your Search’, ‘Expand Your Search’ and ‘Related Names’.
I wonder what the ‘big three’ search engines are going to do with their sponsored ad space? I doubt Google will depart from their right-side browser display. If results are included in the organic or main text display area, then we are looking at expanded page scroll.

How Can I Prepare for the Orion Algorithm?

We do not believe that the implementation of ‘Orion’ will negatively impact web sites that have good ranking, quality links and great content. In fact, links and content will even become a more important issue to consider. A few basic search engine optimization rules will never change, that the consistent amount of traffic a web site receives in combination with textual content, in-bound links and out-bound links will remain the benchmark for good ranking.

More news about Orion here:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,125487-page,1/article.html

http://tech.cybernetnews.com/2006/04/19/screenshots-of-googles-new-search-results-screen/