Search Tools:
Below you will find a ranked list of search tools--what has also been called search engines and directories--that use a specific algorythm or formula to retrieve sites. Generally, the advantage of using a search tool over a metasearch tool is that you can take advantage of features specific to a particular search tool to enhance the precision of a search.
Google has pioneered perhaps one of the better features for determining
relevancy--linking structure. In addition to using an algorithms like
other search tools, Google analyzes hyperlinks or sites linking to a particular
site, thus relying on the collective expertise of other sites to determine
the relative worth of a site. The relatively simple no-frills interface
makes searching easy. Google search stop words such as "the, of,
an, for, etc." which are especially useful for searching titles of
articles. Try Google Scholar
to find more scholarly articles on the Web. Use the Google Help Central
to discover other Web search features that sets Google apart from other
search tools.
Go to Google Help.
Yahoo! Directory of the Internet
Yahoo! has made some substantial strides in improving the search functions
of to an increasing larger database of Internet sites with a directory
arranged by subject classification and selected by Yahoo staff. The Yahoo!
directory which has been the strength of the search tool for a long time
is now augmented by a larger searchable database that is no longer supplied
by an outside tool such as Google or AltaVista. Check the special features
in the Yahoo
Shortcuts.
Go to Yahoo! Help.
Ask, formerly AskJeeves, has made some major changes in an attempt to compete with the likes of Google. Ask still encourages natural language
searching to search its database that includes answers to the many popular
questions asked online and provides search suggestions. Try typing a search beginning with, "who was. . ." Ask displays a focused list of results that suggests
options for narrowing or expanding a search and direct links to specific
searches. Also, make sure you check out the binoculars site preview
that is activated when by pointing your mouse on the binoculars icon.
Go
to Ask Help.
FAST Search is a relatively new search tool that searches over 300 million
sites. It's strength is in its simplicity combined with relevant documents.
Search tips are listed as a part of the search interface. Check out the
Advanced Search for more
options.
Go to AllTheWeb Search
Help.
MSN Search continues to improve both the interface and the results.
Special features will correct spelling and Direct Hit listings for a query.
Advanced features allow specific searches for music, images, and specific
file extensions such as .pdf's.
Click the Help Link to open a separate Help Menu.
Exalead is a relatively new search tool from France that offers a simple
interface and advanced features such as searching by language, domain,
filetype, country, and other preferences. Search options also includes
stemming, phonetic search, and proximity. The Exalead results page includes
an option to display text only results, text with images of the Web page,
and an image only option that allows you to browse the pages easily. A
related terms feature displays results in clusters or categories. This
search tool has promise and is worth venturing forth for a different experience.
Go to Exalead
Help.
Alexa Web Search uses Google's search technology combined with its own
related links, user reviews, related categories, and other information.
The results list is a bit different sometimes offering an image of the
page. The Alexa
Tool Bar offers instant search access to Alexa from the IE browser.
The related links display the sites that other searchers use is very useful
in expanding a search.
Go
to Alexa Web Search Help.
The most recent update to one of the former best search tools has made
AltaVista better. The new streamlined interface features a Worldwide Search,
a More Precision Search and an Advanced Search that allows Boolean searching,
and sorting by keywords or by date. AltaVista Prisma categorizes main
topics within your search results. The Babel
Fish language translator is still available to translate different
languages. AltaVista also uses automatic phrase detection to determine
if two words go together naturally. This is useful if you do not know
to put a phrase in quotes. AltaVista actually is better for the first
time in some time.
Go to Alta Vista Help.
Gigablast appeared first in July 2002 and has made significant advances
since that time. Web pages, PDFs, Word documents, Powerpoint, Excel, and
other files are indexed searching generic metatags from the sites. The
strength of Gigablast is that the results are generally different than
other search tools--although not always better.
Go to Gigablast Help.
Lycos offers both a simple and an advanced search mode which provide
access to about 50 million web pages. The simple mode is designed to be
a hub for information and includes a subject directory, a search engine,
information sites such as headlines, news, weather, stocks, etc.
Go
to Lycos Help.
HotBot searches either Google or AskJeeves using their own interface.
The Advanced mode that allows you to search by language, region, or date.
The good side about using HotBot is that you can compare the results of
a Google vs. AskJeeves search, but you may just want to go to Google or
AskJeeves directly so that you can take advantage of the search options
of those tools.
Go to HotBot Help.
A9.com is a newer search tool started by Amazon.com that works with search technology from Google, Alexa, and A9.com. If you have an account with Amazon and sign in, A9.com will recognize you as a searcher. Results include books from Amazon.com.
About the OpenSearch.
Direct inquiries about this page to Dale
Vidmar.