Wolfram|Alpha integration feedback

Vlad

We are looking for feedback. Please report any bugs or features you would like to see.

When reporting an issue please be descriptive, include screnshot if possible and describe your desired outcome.

Value7609

My 2cts are, that it triggers too often, and that the results most of the time are not really helpful.

IMO it would have been better to fix the old calculator/computer (correct calculation, more intuitive 'query language', more responsive UI) for simple math/currency/unit related queries, and wolfram alpha only for more advanced queries.

Vlad

Value7609

My 2cts are, that it triggers too often, and that the results most of the time are not really helpful.

Please share at least a few examples so we can understand your point of view.

Value7609

Vlad

For example I searched for "29.97 fps", because I wanted to know why monitors are not exactly 30fps, and it shows "about 9134.9 millimeters per second".

I didn't ask for a conversion, and it assumed that "fps" means "feet per second".

And when searching this query on Wolfram Alpha, it at least tells me what it assumed

This way (If I'm interested in the result), I can at least see that it misinterpreted my query, and it gives me the option to switch to the correct unit.

In general, the results on Wolfram Alpha itself are way more informative.
I don't want/expect the full blown wolfram alpha UI in Kagi, but the current implementation feels too stripped down IMO.

Also, the query "calculate triangle are" returns "(1/2) * b * h":

Someone that may not be good in math wouldn't understand a thing here, what is b? what is h?

Meanwhile this is how it would look on the original wolfram alpha page:

An interactive element to calculate the area of a triangle (I don't expect interactive elements from Kagi, just worth a mention), written out names for b and h, a diagram that shows where b and h are in a triangle and so on.

Searching for "speed of light", only shows "about 300 million meters per second"

Most of the results are prepended by "about", which is not really helpful. I don't care about the 50th digit after the decimal point, but showing "299792458 m/s" would be even shorter than "about 300 million meters per second".

And "= around" should be replaced with the almost equal to sign "≅"

So If you are able to show more precise results, more information about the result (like unit interpretation, diagrams, written out names (instead of 1/2 * b *h, 1/2 * base * height), or calculation steps, I could find it more useful, but in its current state I just use qalculate or Wolfram Alpha itself.

KagiForMe

I disagree. The results are oftentimes very helpful. Especially the reliability of the results (e.g. "density of copper") is astonishing and far better than Quick Answer or manually finding the result.

Dustin

I can see a formatting error here with the Wolfram information widget:

sefidel

While I do agree that Wolfram is great at handling queries that are ‘static’, it is simply inaccurate in certain tasks like currency conversion.

I really think we should switch back to the ‘computer’ widget. The approximation wolfram gives is often unwanted.

This behaviour now seems to be more inconsistent; Some queries trigger wolfram whereas some queries trigger the computer widget.

e.g.)
“1 aud”, “1 aud to jpy” triggers wolfram
“1 aud jpy” triggers the computer widget

snowytrees

A open in Wolfram Alpha button would be really nice in the result box. Opens the query & its result on wolfram’s website for fine tuning.

Edit: just found if you hover info, and then press the logo it opens. A button you don’t need to hover for would be way easier to use.

Cannon9594

So far, loving it! Though, I do run into this when trying to go to the nixos homepage:

bert

I think that letting the user specify how badly they want Wolfram results would be helpful.

By default, instead of aggressively assuming the user wants Wolfram results, Kagi should probably be more cautious, only using Wolfram when it's absolutely sure that the user wants the widget, similar to the old behavior. But then, perhaps a bang like !kw query (“Kagi Wolfram”) could be added, which would always bring up the Wolfram widget, like how a trailing question mark always brings up Quick Answer. (There is lots of bikeshedding possible here.)

Also, perhaps a Wolfram button could be added to immediately invoke the widget, like how there is a Quick Answer button even if you don't add a question mark to your query.

These changes would let Kagi be less aggressive in surfacing the Wolfram widget while still giving users the ability to request it when desired.

Vlad

bert Do you have any examples to go with the suggestion?

bert

Vlad I agree that the query "BTC" should not bring up the Wolfram widget, or at least if it does should link to the crypto currency and not the page on bethanechol. This is an example where Kagi being less aggressive about showing the Wolfram widget would be helpful.

An example where I would want the ability to summon the Wolfram widget is something like “mass of carbon”, which doesn't bring up the Wolfram widget, but which I would like to see the Wolfram widget for since Wolfram tends to be good at these kinds of science questions.

Bonarc

If a text query with a numerical result happens to have exclamation mark '!' at the end, Wolfram Alpha seems to assume you want it's factorial, even though using exclamation marks is pretty normal for humans, regardless of whether the answer is numerical or not.

In my case I found that "how many legs does a ladybug have!" gives an answer of 720, which is obviously wrong, without even indicating it did the factorial.

In my case, it was obvious it was wrong, but if the answer had been say three, 3! = 6 could be a fairly plausible answer depending on the query

Exclamation marks should NOT be interpreted as factorial unless the query is explicitly mathematical.

It's probably best to remove them unless they're after a numeral, but I'll leave the exact implementation up to you.

mrzv

Kazakhstan moved to a single time zone as of this month. Kagi's time search hasn't caught up yet. Searching for "time Almaty" reports time that's one hour later than it is there.

Report the correct time.

Value7609

Seems to be an issue with their source (Wolfram Alpha) https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=time+almaty

Grooty

What i'm missing from the old calculator widget is being able to ask again (another currency conversion, math equation, etc.)

gladiator2339

Grooty This so much. I don't see any reason to use WA for basic calculations like 123*456+789. Just show me a basic calculator widget. It feels like a huge waste of API call( I mean, searching for basic calculation itself is, but..) and not actually helpful in any ways.

I don't personally search for such basic calculations(again, thinking itself it quite wasteful, even if im Ultimate user) but if I ever have to do, I'd expect calculator showing up for followup calculations