Search Engine Watch

Perhaps the most frustrating part of using the Internet is trying to find what you are looking for without wasting precious time. Search engines, such as Alta Vista (http://www.altavista.digital.com) and HotBot (http://www.hotbot.com), are among the most important linchpins of the Web. Your best defense against lost time in cyberspace is to learn how to use these and other Internet search engines effectively. A site that provides soup-to-nuts coverage of search engines is Search Engine Watch (http://www.searchenginewatch.com).

Designed not only for Internet users, but for Web managers as well, Search Engine Watch explains the nitty-gritty of how search engines index World Wide Web sites. At this site, you'll find an overview of the major search engines, history, trivia and even a search- engine game. You also will find search-engine reviews and tutorials on how to use the various searching tools. Webmasters will find out exactly how search engines index their site, tips on improving their site's ranking and advice on maintaining good search-engine design. Search Engine Watch also has a free e-mail newsletter, which is particularly helpful for people trying to keep up with search-engine news and developments.

A Consumer's Guide to Search Engines (http://imagescape.com/helpweb/www/seek.html) is another useful place for finding practical advice on search engines. This site starts out with a "Boolean Search Primer" and goes on to list Internet links to articles and reports that compare and evaluate Web search tools. Finally, for those looking for extensive comparative information on search engines, Literature About Search Services (http://www.ub2.lu.se//desire/radar/lit-about-search-services.html) provides pointers to articles and papers available on the Web that discuss and compare search engines.

For assistance in connecting to the World Wide Web via UB computer accounts, contact the CIT Help desk at 645-3542.

-Gemma DeVinney and Don Hartman, University Libraries