Top Meta search Sites
These sites use multiple search engines; stars indicate PCMag
rating.
| Site |
Engines Queried in Searches |
Control Options |
Character of Results |
| Ask Jeeves |
Webcrawler, Infoseek, Excite, AltaVista |
Precise it isn't, but queries entered as natural language questions
are a comfortable format. Spell check feature can be handy. |
Limited, ranked returns make this an easy site to use. Not integrated.
Best
for providing limited, but often useful returns. However, all of the
other metas are broader; general engines are more
specific. |
| Debriefing |
AltaVista, Excite, Hotbot, InfoSeek, WebCrawler, Yahoo! |
Mid level functionality by keyword or advanced |
Excellent rating for accurate, ranked by relevance, deletes duplicates,
notes source engines, & notes related keywords |
| Dogpile |
Customizable to query over 20 different engines, including major engines
like Yahoo, AltaVista, Excite, and Magellan |
|
This meta engine is relatively new, but usefulness is high mid and
climbing. It is related to the GoTo general search engine,
but it doesn't appear to have that engines limitations. |
| Highway 61 |
Excite, Infoseek, Lycos, WebCrawler, Yahoo!, Yahoo! categories |
Mid level functionality options include Boolean operators, time-outs,
and result volume settings |
High-mid ability to rank and integrate returns |
| MetaCrawler |
AltaVista, Excite, Infuse, Info space's Ultimate Directory, Lycos,
Thunderstorm, WebCrawler, Yahoo! |
Excellent functionality (for a meta engine) in customized searches.
It also can retain results from previous searches. |
Excellent integrated results capability (duplicate listing
elimination, return blending), but Savvy has slightly better integration. |
| ProFusion |
AltaVista, Excite, GoTo.com, Infoseek, Magellan, Snap, WebCrawler,
Yahoo!, Usenet |
Excellent (the best) at translating and applying Boolean, phrase, or
keyword searches to queried engines. It also offers control and selection
of engines queried. |
Overall, a high mid quality engine. Profusion integrated returns are
the best for translating complex Boolean operators (a weakness in most
meta-engines) The volume of returns is average and it doesn't list the
source search engines. (Source listing is handy because,
if you find one engine is stronger in what you need, you can skip direct
to that engine for better boolean searches.) |
| SavvySearch |
AltaVista, Excite, HotBot, Infoseek, Lycos, OpenText, Webcrawler, directories,
indexes, people finders, and more. |
High mid capability for keyword and phrase searches |
Although, overall, Savy's quality is only high mid, Savvy has about
the highest quality returns (integrated or batched). However, irregular
control of search engine choice demotes rating from excellent. |
General Search Sites
I.e., Sites that provide original search results (although,
like meta-engines, they may add competitors returns) and are not
specialized for specific topics.
| Site |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| About |
Keyword searches or topic browsing that call About.com's human edited
topics may yield results that are not available elsewhere. |
Search result are usually poorer than Yahoo! |
| AltaVista |
This is the site for tightly focused power searches. Large database,
strong sets of returns, intricate search capability makes this site good
for less common terms (like GNP searches) or searching page content written
in foreign languages. |
Less user-friendly than some, must learn the search syntax of advanced
searches for best results. Results are often cluttered by scattering different
pages from the same site throughout the search returns. Some of this may
be improved in the upcoming revamp of the site. |
| AllTheWeb |
Largest total coverage on the internet (2.1 billion pages, as of June,
2002); claims to update current status more frequently than Google. |
Slightly more complex and slower to use than Google. In spite of claims,
AllTheWeb's higher number of returns may sometimes include more dead links.
Link listings are not direct -- i.e., the sites seems to track where yo
go as you use search returns (minor annoyance). |
| Excite |
Helpful anticipatory features, power search allows simple Boolean type
search w/o learning Boolean. (Note: Excite has a simplified
version of its site, marketed as WebCrawler,
for beginners.) |
Prefer Yahoo!, Power searching better at HotBot or Northern Lights |
| Google |
Best for general (non-catagory) searches because of unique PageRank
software. Most popular web search site on the internet. Search software
narrows results to more relevant finds more quickly than most. (Sites
with more outside citations get higher ranking). Google rivals Yahoo
at pinpointing key sites. (This site derives from a Stanford
University Test Research Project) |
Boolean search capability limited (simple keywords only). Searches
on obscure topics get less accurate returns. (Google's ranking by conections
works better on topics of sufficient general interest to have strong cross-conection
referances.) |
| HotBot |
This is often the best site for detailed queries. Large web
index, advanced search capability (including full Boolean support), graphical
query-building aids. Simple keyword sets are automatically searched as
boolean "and", so HotBot's default target searches give more focused results
than sites defaulting to "or." Finally, a backwards link search option
helps trace public interest in your personal web pages. (Note:
the site is now owned by Lycos, but the site keeps a separate identity.) |
Northern lights has edge on power searches (once you
figure out how to use the Light's power.) |
| LookSmart |
Hierarchical design makes this an easy way to find the most popular
sites on the web. Note: Looksamrt owns WiseNut
-- should work the same. |
Nothing unique otherwise (Advanced features access a
limited version of AltaVista) |
| Lycos |
This is my son's favorite search site. Is it because the slightly chaotic
integration feels like an old friend? If it works for you, that's what
counts. |
Yahoo! gives better results for beginning to intermediate searches.
Northern Light and HotBot have more features and power for narrowing
advanced searches. |
| Northern Light |
Primary focus appears to be on locating articles and other content
that requires paid access. Good anticipatory results, advanced search features,
subset organization of results, and a simple interface make this the best
search engine for writing referance papers. No other engine
can match the full text databases of off-line material. With full support
for Boolean search syntax, narrowed search control is excellent. |
Northern light content is strongest in business and science; other
engines may offer advantages in non-science or non-business related searches.
Full text articles from specialized journals are only accessible by
paying a $1 to $4 fee. You may find that for most common queries, Google,
Yahoo!, or Ask Jeeves (a meta engine) are better. |
| Yahoo! |
A Strong reliance on (human) hand-picked sites (500,000+) and good
categorization make this the best site for finding content by simple
keyword and category type searches. Of the general (portal type)
search engines, only the Google! approaches this site's degree of relevant
returns on common topics. |
Yahoo's strength (human-based site listing) is also its weakness.
L&G's studies of web coverage indicates that Yahoo covers only 7.4%
of the searchable web. (I.e., it misses 92.6% of what might
or might not be relevant.) For searches on specific or specialized
terms, Northern Light or AltaVista may do better. Yahoo's meta search options
exclude direct rivals, so gaps in coverage are extensive even in meta mode. |
Kid's Search Sites
I.e., single sites specialized to help kids with homework or safe internet
fun.
| Site |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| Ask Jeeves for Kids |
Clean interface, excellent database, good at narrowing w/o loosing
the ability to get more information. Best site for kids through Middle
school. |
Like the rest of the engines listed on this table, usefulness trails
off as students approach high school. However, students who favor this
engine can easily graduate to the adult version of Ask
Jeeves. |
| Disney's Internet Guide |
Well designed and intuitive, results OK by category searches |
Heavily commercialized format is distracting; keyword searches are
spotty. Returns often have strange or poor ranking and / or results structure
on some topics. |
| Lycos SafetyNet |
This is the Lycos general engine with a filter that protects kids against
accidentally reaching the bad side of the internet -- that makes this the
most powerful kid's engine |
Possibly because of zealous filtering, problems may occur when linking
to chat rooms. In addition, younger kids may find the interface too challenging. |
| Yahooligans! |
Excellent and varied directory, strong in 8-12 yr. old chat rooms |
Limited quality returns on school related topics |
News Search Sites (I.e.,
single sites specialized to track breaking news.)
| Site |
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
| Excite News |
Sortable result sets, excellent clipping service (NewsTracker is good
at refining service topics); |
Excessive irrelevant hits (improves by using a plus sign (+) to set
search to "must appear). |
| Northern Light News |
Quick, accurate searches of 70+ wire services, avoids overwhelming
results of Excite (Note: fee based results don't add as large
a set as DowJones, but results are integrated with web-based results) |
Site lacks integration with publication / web side of internet. |
| SciTech Daily Review |
Main sections (abstracts w/ links): Features & backgrounds, Books
& Media, and Opinion & analysis
Link sets: Breaking news, Sci/Tech publications, useful Media |
Updates only 4x / week, this is a science only topical search resource. |
| Yahoo! News |
Good for national, international, and topical category searches |
The news page does not link to the excellent Yahoo! Full
Coverage Headline Page (I.e., the general news source I favor.) |
Note:
Specialty Search Sites
(I.e.,
Ideal for specific categories of searches.)
| Site |
Function |
| Assay & Mine Support |
Labworld |
Anything for a lab . . . . |
| Chemdex |
Search and compare descriptions, properties, and prices for reagent
supplies. |
| LabMine and
its parent site, InfoMine. |
InfoMine is possibly one of the broadest and most complete mining-focused
information resources on the web. However, access to complete information
is limited unless you pay a fee. |
 |
Although MiningLinks is relatively small, it is growing into a place
for focused, high-quality information . . . at no charge. |
Thomas Register
of American Manufacturers |
The Register is not mining focused, but, if you are looking for
a vendor or a part, chances are you'll find a lead here. |
|
These are sites reference or information which is specifically useful
to assay lab workers and managers in mining industries. Don't judge by
size alone; Mining Links is small,
but its personal focus may give more satisfaction. |
|
|
Useful sites for getting detailed directions from here to there. (MapQuest
was rated higher by PCMag, but I've found Yahoo to be accurate and detailed.) |
| Health: See links on assayer health
page |
Health in an assayer's context |
|
|
These are sites for finding discussion forums on any subject. By nature,
forums and newsgroups are often not edited or content-verified. Site
references of this type may be little more than a reflection of "state-of-gossip"
on the internet. On the other hand, reputable (moderated) newsgroups and
forums can be the most current and up-to-date resources on the internet.
The key is to only rely on located sites that can be reliability and
independently verified. |
|
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Useful reference sites for checking your writing. |
| Finding Software downloads |
This redirects you to a table that lists resources on the Internet
for freeware and shareware. |
| TeleWorth
rates |
Compare phone rate deals for phone companies in your area |