I must be a “serious data nerd”, to borrow a phrase from a recent CNet article regarding the new search engine, Wolfram Alpha. I can easily geek out on trivial bits of information that could only be important in the context of… well… I’ll think of one.

 It’s not like I’m actually using the data for anything practical.

 I can enjoy the fact that Wolfram Alpha tells me that “farinaceous” is a synonym for “granular”.  And that it can spout the material composition of carbon steel, along with its thermal and mechanical properties.

 I’m puzzled as to why it doesn’t know what to do with, say, “kitty litter” or “BDSM”. Those search terms generate a somewhat contrite “Wolfram Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input”.

 Apparently, Wolfram Alpha is not so fond of compound words or abbreviations. Or kinky sex.

 Our data-loving search engine suggests that I search for The Grapes of Wrath. I do and it produces John Steinbeck, 1940 (69 years ago it is keen to add), and tells me it won a Pulitzer for fiction. 

A search for Cyrano de Bergerac turns up Cyrano’s full name, date and place of birth and death, and his occupation (playwright). It mentions nothing of the book by the same name, or its author, Edmond Rostand (also a playwright). 

So what is Wolfram Alpha good for?

 Well… Quickly solving a mathematics problem. Finding a chemical compound. Translating a musical note to a tonal frequency. Expressing the color chartreuse in its hexadecimal form (important information for a web designer, no?). 

In short, expect statistics at Wolfram Alpha, not practicality.