Search the Web Looking for a Needle in a Haystack Cut the Haystack Down to Size

Summary Ease the Frustration Ease the Frustration Search Engines Fall Into Three Categories Search Engines Fall Into Three Categories Keyword Indexes Keyword Indexes Subject Directories Subject Directories Metasearch Engines Metasearch Engines Best Search Engines Around Best Search Engines Around Find What You’re Looking For Find What You’re Looking For

Ease the Frustration New search sites Enhancements to old standbys

Search Engines Fall Into Three Categories Keyword Indexes Keyword Indexes Subject Directories Subject Directories Metasearch Engines Metasearch Engines

Keyword Indexes Produce index of all text on the sites Produce index of all text on the sites Reads first few hundred words on page Reads first few hundred words on page Throws out “garbage words” – and, the, for, etc. Throws out “garbage words” – and, the, for, etc. Alphabetizes keywords and places them in an index Alphabetizes keywords and places them in an index

Subject Directories Card catalogs of the Web Card catalogs of the Web Assign sites to specific topic categories Assign sites to specific topic categories Human generated directories Human generated directories Easier to browse Easier to browse Offers advice Offers advice Where the content is Where the content is How good or bad it is How good or bad it is

Metasearch Engines Simultaneously search Simultaneously search Databases Databases Engines Engines Uses only simple, straightforward search strategies Uses only simple, straightforward search strategies

Best Search Engines Around Keyword Indexes AltaVista AOL NetFind Excite HotBot Subject Directories Galaxy Magellan WebCrawler Yahoo Metasearch Engines All4one Search Machines Dogpile Highway 61

Find What You’re Looking For Use the Right Tools – the Right Way! Use the Right Tools – the Right Way!