John Battelle compares conversations with search. He asks why in conversation people can typically get to the point within 30 minutes or less, but it takes much longer for search engines to find
the core.
Battelle answers the philosophical question with an anecdote. It appears he once asked Google cofounder Larry Page to describe his dream search engine. It's the final point in a series of three Battelle posts on the subject of search and decision making.