aese.org -- portal intro

This message introduces a new search capability on our website. It's a portal to using a variety of search engines to search the entire web. It offers easy-to-use features to empower inexperienced searchers, while saving time for experienced searchers. Note that you can launch it from the Links page, automatically copying a URL of interest.

Background

Most web searches either look broadly for sites or pages loaded with information on a topic or look narrowly for a specific piece of information. All of the major search engines are good at broad searches. So if that's the only type of searching you do, read no further, as the portal probably won't help you. Its features are tailored to improve and expedite narrow searches.

Experienced searchers use three principal strategies for narrow searches. They:

Run a basic search by differentiating among required words, optional words, and words to exclude. This is done by prefixing each required word with a "+" and each excluded word with a "-".
Use a search engine's "advanced search" form, which supports required, optional, and excluded words, as well as various specialized features.
Search with more than one engine, recognizing that no single engine is best for handling all narrow searches.

Each of these strategies adds more power, but can substantially increase total setup time. Consequently, fewer people take the trouble to use them. If you would like improved searching, with less fuss, then our portal could help you.

Website Portal

Our portal incorporates features from all three strategies and puts them at your fingertips. It lets you:

Run a basic search while automatically adding the "+" and "-" prefixes for required and excluded words.
Include a phrase.
Run searches in multiple engines with the single click of a mouse. Thus you don't need to re-type search words when moving from engine to engine.
Search via so-called meta-search engines. These engines launch searches by multiple conventional engines, then collect and collate the results.
Scour through the pages in a particular web site, for those cases in which a broad search has already identified a site likely to contain the information you seek.

Five other features of our portal are handy. You can:

Launch the portal from the Links page, on which you can select a site to search and have its URL copied automatically into the relevant box on the portal form.
Save your setup preferences in a browser cookie. Your preferences will be automatically restored when you return to the search page another day.
Display search results in popup windows, whose sizes you can tailor to your own screen.
Enjoy the "duel" mode in which you can let two engines compete on speed and quality of results.
Use the Translate feature for more than just web searching.

We encourage you to experiment with the portal. If you like it, feel free to share the URL with colleagues, relatives, and friends. To load the portal, click this link: Web Search Portal.


Home What is AESE? -- AESE Docs Annual Meeting 2006 2005 2004 Officers & Board Personnel Duties Resources Glossaries & DBs Links New Member Pubs Newsletter Refer. Digital Doc Style Guides Freelancers Jobs Bank Web Search => Introduction Portal Acknowledgments	Introduction to Web Search Portal This message introduces a new search capability on our website. It's a portal to using a variety of search engines to search the entire web. It offers easy-to-use features to empower inexperienced searchers, while saving time for experienced searchers. Note that you can launch it from the Links page, automatically copying a URL of interest. Background Most web searches either look broadly for sites or pages loaded with information on a topic or look narrowly for a specific piece of information. All of the major search engines are good at broad searches. So if that's the only type of searching you do, read no further, as the portal probably won't help you. Its features are tailored to improve and expedite narrow searches. Experienced searchers use three principal strategies for narrow searches. They: Run a basic search by differentiating among required words, optional words, and words to exclude. This is done by prefixing each required word with a "+" and each excluded word with a "-". Use a search engine's "advanced search" form, which supports required, optional, and excluded words, as well as various specialized features. Search with more than one engine, recognizing that no single engine is best for handling all narrow searches. Each of these strategies adds more power, but can substantially increase total setup time. Consequently, fewer people take the trouble to use them. If you would like improved searching, with less fuss, then our portal could help you. Website Portal Our portal incorporates features from all three strategies and puts them at your fingertips. It lets you: Run a basic search while automatically adding the "+" and "-" prefixes for required and excluded words. Include a phrase. Run searches in multiple engines with the single click of a mouse. Thus you don't need to re-type search words when moving from engine to engine. Search via so-called meta-search engines. These engines launch searches by multiple conventional engines, then collect and collate the results. Scour through the pages in a particular web site, for those cases in which a broad search has already identified a site likely to contain the information you seek. Five other features of our portal are handy. You can: Launch the portal from the Links page, on which you can select a site to search and have its URL copied automatically into the relevant box on the portal form. Save your setup preferences in a browser cookie. Your preferences will be automatically restored when you return to the search page another day. Display search results in popup windows, whose sizes you can tailor to your own screen. Enjoy the "duel" mode in which you can let two engines compete on speed and quality of results. Use the Translate feature for more than just web searching. We encourage you to experiment with the portal. If you like it, feel free to share the URL with colleagues, relatives, and friends. To load the portal, click this link: Web Search Portal.