WebJunction

Alternative Internet Search Engines - Beyond the Big Ten

The Big Ten search engines are so popular that even novice Web users can rattle off their names by heart. The Big Ten are: AltaVista, Excite, Google, GoTo.com, Yahoo, HotBot, Northern Light, LookSmart, Lycos, and Open Directory. However, for certain searches, smaller and more targeted search engines might be more likely to turn up useful Web sites. Below is a listing of specialized search engines.

Aesop: A standard spider search engine with a bright red interface.

http://www.aesop.com

Webmasters classify their site when submitting it to the Aesop database. The six classification types are: sales, interactive, multimedia, links to information, personal, and information.

Galaxy: A Web directory whose aim is not to be the largest, but to be the most relevant.

http://www.galaxy.com

Galaxy, a directory compiled by librarians, includes 500 vertical search engines covering an array of topics.

JoeAnt: A volunteer-compiled Web directory.

http://www.joeant.com

This directory, started by four former Go guides, is an effort to gather the best sites on every topic.

Ilor: Short for “Internet lore.”

http://www.ilor.com

This is a search engine, but with extra features and designed to work with the Internet Explorer browser. Perform a search, then run your mouse pointer over the results. The LORLinks box will appear offering four options. Create a temporary list, then you can e-mail the list or add the links to favorites.

Oingo: A meaning-based search.

http://www.oingo.com

This engine provides directory results from Open Directory and engine results from AltaVista.

Librarians and linguistics specialists teamed up to build a database of meanings (synonyms and related terms).

SearchKing: Includes a search engine database and a portal finder.

http://www.searchking.com

SearchKing allows searchers to rank the quality of search results. Results that are given positive reviews appear at the top of the search results for that topic.

SurfWax: A meta-search tool with several options for managing results.

http://www.surfwax.com

SiteSnaps give you information about a Web site before you visit it. Focus words offer keyword suggestions for broadening or narrowing your search.

Teoma: Search results are grouped in three ways.

http://www.teoma.com

Web pages are grouped by topic, Web pages, and expert links. Expert links are lists of links on the topic. Results are grouped into folders (similar to Northern Light's folders).

Vivisimo: A meta-search engine.

http://vivisimo.com

Developed by Carnegie Mellon researchers, this site clusters results hierarchically in folders.

WiseNut: A search engine with over 1 billion Web pages.

http://www.wisenut.com

This site automatically creates categories to help you focus on the most relevant links. Choose whether or not to have links from the same site grouped together. “Sneak-a-peek” lets you have a quick preview of a Web site.

Checklist for exploring a new search tool

• Is the site easy to navigate?

• Are there good visual cues?

• Is the screen cluttered?

• Is the user inundated with advertising and flashy marketing?

• Does the search tool use its own spiders or does it rely on other search tool databases?

• Can the search tool be customized to best meet a particular user's needs?

• Are there special features? Is the use of special features intuitive?

• Can you truncate terms?

• Can you use Boolean operators?

• Are advanced field searching options available?

• How are the search results grouped? Can the search results be customized? How is relevancy determined?

• Is there a link to help? Is the help “helpful?” Is the help information suitable for beginning and advanced searchers?