MC Srivas brings Google's 'secret sauce' to everyone else. Photo: MapR

M.C. Srivas is amazed by Google’s search engine. And he helped build Google’s search engine.

He’s amazed that if you search for “2005 Accord,” Google seems to understand you’re looking for a family sedan, giving you links not only for used Honda Accords but for similar cars with similar prices — a Volkswagon Passat or a Toyota Camry. He’s amazed Google can sort out the difference between a search for an apartment and one for a house. He’s amazed it can distinguish between “new” and “New York” and “New York Times.”

But he’s n...