The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook

Citation

McGettrick, A. (2005), "The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook", Library Review, Vol. 54 No. 8, pp. 497-498. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242530510634177

There are varying reports about the amount of information held on the web, and about the rate at which that is increasing. In 2003, for example, it was estimated that some 800MB of information was created for every person on the planet. Given such a situation, the opportunity to review this text was extremely attractive. Having all this web‐based information available is interesting; being able to access it profitably and use it effectively is quite another matter.

The emphasis in the text is on the use of search engines and it can be viewed as a very useful guide to searching on the internet. Such a text will be of use to all who are eager to master the issues of using search engines and this would typically include “researchers, writers, librarians, teachers, and others”. The book does not address technical issues at the level of: how do I build a search engine? Or, what is the syntax of the language used for retrieving information? Thus it is not technical as seen from the perspective of a Computer Scientist or Software Engineer.

Initially the attention of the user is drawn to certain important considerations associated with searching: there is the issue of the strategy to be adopted for particular searches; the concept of narrowing is important to provide a focus or filter for results and thereby to ensure that the user is not faced with an avalanche of results; the quality of the information is an important consideration; the “look and feel” of the system is important from a usability perspective and related to this it the method of presentation of results. All of these matters become ever more important as the volume of information increases. A timely reminder is provided by drawing attention to the fact that search engines will not find everything. But by knowing an appropriate URL a user can get access to additional information; hence the concept of the “Invisible Web” – invisible to the search engine, that is.

The text contains an overview of the five main search engines, as judged by their popularity and usefulness. These are, in alphabetical order, AllTheWeb, AltaVista, Google, HotBot, and Teoma. The basic as well as the advanced and special search features of each of theses are explored. Less detail is provided about other significant engines such as Lycos, WiseNut and MSN.

To provide an outline for basic searching, a range of common and useful web sites is mentioned. These cover such topics as: reference material including encyclopaedias, dictionaries, maps, and historical documents; information that might be of wide interest such as travel information, government information, foreign exchange rates, and so on; news; resources for audio and video. Not surprisingly, this tends to have a US orientation. While this is very useful, then of course the best recommendations have to be reviewed and revised periodically or they will become of limited value in view of the rapid speed of creation of new material. To address the general updating issue a companion web site is supplied, namely: www.extremesearcher.com which contains links to web sites referenced in the body of the text.

In summary, the text should be seen as a users’ guide. It does not address issues associated with the theoretical considerations of searching; the focus is on finding information and on the practical. Thus it is unlikely to feature heavily as a main text book for a University course. Rather it is far more likely to serve as a useful companion (with a US bias) for the many involved in web searching; the companion web site is likely to be particularly appealing.