Internet Search Engines

[John3]

I am sold on DOGPILE.COM as the best search portal.

Their service is that they automatically submit search requests to all of the most poplar search engines and then combine the results.

Its amazing how well some engines do on some topics and how bad they are on others. With dogpile I feel I get the best search results no matter what.

John

[gar]

070728-1704 EST USA

Search engines constantly change their criteria and may also include some randomization of results.

Today I ran several test strings that I know will find my web sites. The results are as follows for different search strings and search engines: The numbers indicate the approximate early locations of my sites in the search engine listings. Note that rankings vary from time to time. So tomorrow the results may be somewhat different. A few words in a search string generally produce a very large number of results.

TESTS:

String          RS232             RS232             pinion
                problems          problems          preload
                                  CNC               adjustment 

Google           12                1, 3              1
Yahoo             3                1, 3              2, 4
MSN               3                1                 2
ASK              40 about          1*                1
AltaVista         3*               1                 2, 4 
Dogpile          26                2                 1, 2, 12

   * after sponsors

My comment of "after sponsor" is because I seldom ever pay any attention to sponsored links. However, sometimes they are useful. Notice the variability as well as the consistency between the engines.

What is a good search engine? None --- because they do not yet have the ability to understand your question. For the most part they are word finders rather than idea finders.

Furthermore, the Internet is a poor place to find much historical information unless it has been explicitly placed on web sites. This may change as Google progresses with their scanning of various librarys, one of these is the UofM.

Search problem examples: what is the patent number for the first aircraft radio beacon, the inventor, and assignee? Who invented the automotive spark plug? What was a heat treatment procedure used by Johansson for his gage blocks?

"William B. Stout" does bring forth some references. So does "Howard H. Aiken". "Melville B. Stout" also brings up references to him and his book on "Electrical Measurements", but "James S. Gault" or "James M. Gault" does not produce a reference on his book "Alternating-Current Machinery". James S. Gault is on the title page of the book, but in the following UofM reference to M. B. Stout, Gault's middle initial is listed as D. This reference is
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/eecs/about/history4.html
This newly composed material was explictly placed on the Internet and therefore found by Google.

On this particular site location is a long comment by Fred Terman on William G. Dow. Looking at the Internet further it is hard to directly find information on Dow's book on "Fundamentals of Engineering Electronics" without knowing the title. To a large extent this is a book on electrons in a vacuum.

Dow is an interesting person to study. His teaching and researching techniques were different than the usual professor. Although a heavy smoker he lived to beyond 100. Near 100 he was still walking several miles a day and our area is hilly and his house was somewhat over a half mile from mine. From time to time I would see and or talk to him on his walks.

A major heading in Dow's book is "Negative Grid Provides Electrostatic Control of Space-Charge-Limited Current." Putting this string including double quotes into Google produces no result. I would expect this to change after Google finishes scanning the UofM libraries. This illustrates how older information and book content is not yet available on the Internet.

One important thing I learned from Dow was --- never fail to ask questions because you think someone will think the question is stupid. However, be honest in your reason for asking a question.

The real improvement in search engines will occur when they can search for the idea behind your question.

If I search for
National Semiconductor 741 datasheet
then the first result is the National site and that is what I want.

If the string is
National Semiconductor 318 datasheet
then the first reference is not the National site which is the one I want. Nor did I easily find the national location from the Google list. Going directly to National.com and using their search I was able to get their datasheet.

When the question is related to a major company and their datasheet I would expect the first reference to be that company's web site.

I believe the inventor or at least the first person to develop a "seedless tomato" was Dr. Felix Gustafson. This I have reference to on my web site. However, in Google using the search string
seedless tomato inventor
did not on quick check appear to reference my site. If I use
seedless tomato inventor gustafson
then my site is the only one referenced.


.

[Dolphin USA]

Yahoo hands down

[307startup]

Originally Posted by HayTay Anyone use these?: Dogpile - "All the best search engines piled into one." maMMa - "The Mother of All Search Engines." I don't, just curious if anyone else does. I know a guy that swears by Dogpile. I use MSN for "Maps and Directions" and Google for everything else. Just a side note, I can usually find stuff I've seen on this site quicker using a Google search than the built in CNCzone search feature. I just combine the few key words and/or phrases coupled with cnczone and WALA! the thread(s) or post(s) are found. Is it me, or are we just an eclectic bunch? I do all kinds of searches and it is truly amazing how many times one or more links to something on CNCzone.com pop up! widgitmaster - I'll have to give GOOGLE MAPS a try. I live in a fairly rural area and MSN directions get me close to my destination then fail horribly. Then it's time wasted driving around to locate a landmark with an active cellular signal. This is followed by the inevitable call, "I know I'm close. Here's where I am. Where are you? How do I get there from here?" I need a search engine for my stuff... HayTay

I use www.mamma.com exclusively. I can find whatever I'm looking for with a properly stated phrase in less than 2 minutes. That's accurate, intelligent searching. Companies, names, numbers, products...you name it, I have found it. I have nothing but compliments for this search engine.