Internet Search Engines

Browsing versus Searching

There are several different ways to find what you are looking for on the Internet. Of course, if you know the address (say, you saw some advertising), boom, you can go straight there. (as we say in the business, "I.P. on everything").

Another way is by browsing. Browsing is done when someone else has gone through the sites and is making recommendations to you. Runway has been doing this for you, particularly if you go to the Takeoff Area. You'll find web sites we've checked out on movies and museums; we're open to suggested links on the any of the pages in that area.

The most specific way to look for information on the World Wide Web is through Search Engines. However, each Search engine has its own set of rules (though they are often similar) and many of the Search Engines also present you with Browsing options.

Your fastest route to both browsing and searching is in the Runway Radar room. There, we've provided convenient links to several of the Search engines, plus a few 'browsed' links, as well. We've made getting into the search engines (possibly) a step shorter by providing an initial search input box for most of the browsers. (you download faster locally then when you go out onto the Internet).

Search Engines

These are just a few of the search engines available to you on the Internet:

• Runway Radar Room
  
• Alta Vista
  
• Web Crawler
  
• Yahoo!
  
• Infoseek
  
• Starting Point
  
• Excite
  
• Lycos
  
• Hotbot
  
• Bookmarked sites on the Radar page
  
• Bookmarked sites in the Pilot's Lounge
  

You, too, can contribute!

Alta Vista

Alta Vista is a very flexible search engine. Here are some of the basic rules to find what you are looking for:

1. Capital vs. lower case.
   If you specify Capital letter, AV will limit your search to Capital; if you type in all lower case, AV will search for both upper and lower case.
   
   
2. Accents
   Similar to using a Capital. AV will limit your search if you use accents, if you enter the word without accents, AV will search for both accent and accent free (i.e., protege versus protégé)
   
   
3. Phrases - when you want a string of words to appear together
   Example: Darbie Marlin - Word count: Darbie: 118; Marlin: 22211
   "Darbie Marlin" - Word count: Darbie Marlin: 13
   You may also use punctuation to link phrases:
   darbie-marlin or darbie;marlin
   
   
4. Required or Prohibited words - to narrow your search.
   Example: cattery, Burmese, Washington
   Word count: cattery: 6786; Burmese: 13021; Washington: 2100279
   or, +cattery +Burmese +Washington --->24 matches
   The "+" sign makes the word required. A "-" makes it prohibited.
   (i.e., looking for Burmese cats, not Burma or Pythons)
   Burmese: 13021
   Burmese -Burma -python +Washginton: 400
   Burmese -Burma -python +Washginton +cat: 86
   
   
5. Word forms: using the '*' symbol
   If you're uncertain how to spell a word (Anachronism) or you want plural variations, include the * symbol: Anachron* or colo*r (will get you color, colour, coloration, etc.)
   
   
6. Using Alta Vista Advanced lets you use Boolean logic to specify your search (AND, OR, NEAR, NOT).
   Warning: Do not use the word "AND" in a simple search. There are 4,238,234 pages with the word "AND" in them. However, by using the "+" to require (instead of advanced "AND") and the "-" instead of the advanced "OR") you may find that the results work better with simple query.
   
7. For more information, check out AV's Advanced Help page.
   

Web Crawler

Web Crawler allows you to start your search narrowly by offering several categories (education, recreation, arts, science, travel, etc) for the general category you are searching.

Search priority: Web Crawler assumes that you are working in plain English, not necessarily Boolian logic. It also makes the assumption that you are looking for all of the words you entered to be together. (you entered it, you must be looking for pages with "a" AND "b" AND "c"). It divides the results into ranking order of percentage of match. With the "AND" matches ranked near the top.

Operators in Web Crawler: AND, OR, NOT, NEAR, ADJ (adjacent) and parentheses (for grouping together AND or NOT words)

Yahoo!

Yahoo! is a registered directory. They only list sites that have registered their information with them.

Looking for someone on the Internet? This is one place to go. You can link to "People find" then link to "E-mail" then register your E-mail address.

Like WebCrawler, Yahoo! divides its structure into several categories to fine-tune your search at the beginning, but you can also search with query options. Hint: If you are looking for specific words, be sure to click on the "options" and set the search for "AND" all the words you're looking for. Example: I entered the Society for Creative Anachronism and got a return listing with 'PCS General Information Page' (which happens to include the letter stream 'for' - hardly helpful). Ironically, while Yahoo! found Moonmaid Cattery with "Burmese cats Spokane," it did NOT find the cattery with "Moonmaid" - just some of the pages that referred to Moonmaid.

Conclusion: Yahoo! may not be your best bet for searching the web, although it is a useful tool for checking out their categories.

Infoseek

1. Use capital letters to narrow your search when appropriate.
   
2. Use a comma to separate concepts (Moonmaid Cattery, Burmese)
   
3. Words that must be adjacent can be listed as "Darbie Marlin" or Darbie+Marlin.
   
4. Use a plus symbol for required words, a minus symbol for specifically excluded words.
   
5. Use a pipe (|) to search a certain set of results only.
   

To narrow your search results by searching for one word, and then within that set of results, for another, type: cats | Burmese

Example:

• "Society for Creative Anachronism" +Spokane found 21,096 entries.
  
• "Society for Creative Anachronis" +Spokane found 14 entries, and the local branch page is listed first.
  

But, you better type correctly. Infoseek doesn't have the '*' option to find variations of spelling.

Infoseek, like Yahoo! is useful in that it has a browser as well as search engines, so you can pursue your area of interest through preorganized headings.

Starting Point

HotBot

Default setting on HotBot is searching for ALL the words (rather than ANY of the words listed). You can also narrow the search with "quotation marks" around words that must appear adjacent.

Boolean logic is available on the front end: AND (or "&"), OR (or "|"), NOT (or "!") and the use of parenthesis for grouping.

If you're having trouble with search engines finding a lot of 'dead links', HotBot (and a few others) have the ability to limit dates: after:[day]/[month]/[year]

Note: I hadn't ever looked at HotBot before, but it had my home page listed, so I was able to find my personal page with "Darbie Marlin" - it came up first. Many of the other Search Engines would find Darbie Marlin, because my name was on so many Runway pages. So, I think I have to give HotBot high marks.

Excite

Excite also has an E-mail directory where you can submit your address so people can find you. Similar search rules: use Quotes for phrases, AND or +, NOT or -, AND NOT (these can be used together).

• Found the "Society for Creative" AND Spokane in top category.
  
• Found Moonmaid (my cattery) as top find with a single word.
  
• Unable to find the cattery with Burmese and Spokane.
  

Lycos

Lycos uses the standard (+ the word MUST be there, - the word MUST NOT be there), but has the option of partial words for spelling (colo$r for color or colour).

I have to say I was not impressed. There were several pages found when I entered "Wealdsmere", including two of the local pages (but not the main page), so I know that Lycos knew about the pages. However, +"Society for Creative Anachronism" +Spokane got 0 pages. So, if you were new to Spokane, looking for the SCA and didn't know the name of the local branch, you wouldn't find it in the 41,986 pages that Lycos found.

Helping people find YOU!

There are literally millions of pages to be found on the World Wide Web. You're out there looking for someone or something. What about making the connection the other way? What if you want THEM to find YOU?

There are several different ways in which your personal or business pages can be found. Many of the search engines have a 'web crawler' that goes out onto the web and looks at all the pages that are out there, and places the information that it finds in the search engine databases. However, if you REALLY want to be found, it is helpful for have done two things:

• Use the Meta tags on the top of your web page in the Heading to enter a description of the page, plus key words. Here is a sample of Header code to show you how the commands are used:
  
  <html>
  <head><title>Moonmaid Cattery</title></HEAD>
  <meta name="description" content="Moonmaid Cattery raises traditional Burmese kittens in sable, blue, champagne and platinum. Moonmaid is found in Spokane, Washington.">
  <meta name="Keywords" content="traditional Burmese kittens, traditional Burmese cats, sable, blue, champagne, for sale, breeder"></head>
  
  

  The <title> tag displays the information that appears in the Title bar of your browser when a page is displayed (look at the top of this screen and you will see: [Search Engines]).

  The <description> tag displays the summary information that the various Search Engines give when they list your page.

  The <keywords> tag defines for the Search Engines the terms that are important in helping people find your pages.

  Obviously, the brown words in italics in the above example would be replaced by words suitable to describe your own page.

• Many of the Search Engines have a link to "Add URL", your Universal Resource Locator or Page address to their system. Some of them ask only for the URL, which basically asks them to some visit your page and catalogue it. Some of them want all the information you give in the Meta tags: the page title, a brief description (usually 25 words or less) and keywords.
  To simplify the submission process, you may want to take advantage of Submit it!

In your mission to invite people to visit your page, do not forget the adage: "IP on everything" - put your page address on your business cards, in any brochures, printed advertising (turn a business card sized ad into a full color brochure for up to 25 percent of the people who read your ad). You can format your E-mail to add your name and web page automatically to the bottom of any mail you send.

Another way to get to the word out is through reciprocal links: I'll link to your page if you link to mine. Here is where your skills in using the Search Engines will really help you. Go to the places where people who may be interested in your page can be found. Ask the webmasters of those pages to link to your page. Many times, if you offer a return link, they will be willing to accommodate you.

Introduction to the Internet

• Brief History of the Internet
  
• Explanation of Terms (definitions)
  
• Areas of the Internet
  
  • Controls
    
  • Settings
    
  • Search Engines
    
  • Shareware and Freeware
    
  • Downloading Files
    
  • Viruses