In updating a list of Internet search engines, I realize how so many have "dropped off", presumably given the dominance of Google.
I checked Wikipedia's entry for web search engines and like their chronological listing of search engines from 1993 to current (the history of web browsers is also good).
I was fortunate to be in information studies at the University of Toronto between 1995 and 1997 when web browsing was just starting to take off (and yes, prior to that I gophered on a '486 computer on an extremely slow telephone modem).
However, given the dominance of Google I have since more recently missed the launch of some newer search engines listed in the Wikipedia article, including:
Duck Duck Go (great name!)
I was sad to see that SearchEngineWatch.com now appears to be focused exclusively on search engine optimization and marketing (whereas in the past it was more about comparing search engines). A sign of the times, I guess.
I'm surprised to see that Baidu, the Chinese search engine with content controlled by the Chinese government, has been around for a decade already.
Time flies when your having censoring fun?
Along a bit more serious vein, I was thinking along this topic the other day and tried a couple of other search engines off the top of my head, just to see what type of results would come up. Tried the same search and noticed some commercially placed results near the top. Just wondering if anyone uses any other than Google and what they think of the performance?
I've converted (more or less) to Bing. I don't find a substantial difference in the search results themselves but I like the visual representation there better along with its 'predictive sidebar' which offers me additional search terms based on what it 'thinks' I'm looking for.
I just compared the Bing and Google result on a search where I know what should come up:
cheifetz "factual causation" tort
Bing produces 16 hits.
Google resolves to 30.
Google is better, but I haven't figured out why yet. First impression is that Bing missed at least one key resource.
Request For Comments
We wish to improve the user experience of the visual search engine Mugurdy (http:://www.mugurdy.com). In particular the way in which, after the search results are displayed, the mouse rolling over an image produces a pop-up which is large enough to read. Clicking on the pop-up brings the user to the relevant website in a new window.
Is there a better way to do this? Is the pop-up needed at all or does it 'get in the way'? These are the questions we'd like your feedback on (and indeed any other observations you may have on Mugurdy). Thank you.
Jamie Plenderleith
Developer