You can access multiple search engines and subject directories simultaneously through metasearch tools. Good Meta-search tool examples include CNET's Search.com, Dogpile, Ixquick, Vivisimo. Meta-search tools do not create their own databases, rather they rely on databases gathered by other Internet search engines, and aggregate and post the results in unique ways. This allows you to submit searches to multiple search tools, obtaining results quickly from more than one general purpose search tool.
While it would seem logical that you would cover more of the Internet quicker with a meta-search tool, that is not necessarily the case. You do not get significantly broader results. Here is why: All the search engines limit the number or results you see, and most of the search engines have arbitrary cut-off points for timing out. Sharply limiting the number of hits retrieved to no more than, say, thirty, means if the search tool ranks its results and your desired item does not show up among them, then you will not see it at all.
Most meta-search tools can conduct only initial, simple searches, meaning you cannot refine or limit your search. This is the big problem with meta-search tools: to get wide access to many search tools, you give up several things, including the ability to do any kind of sophisticated or advanced searching. Ultimately, the results from meta-search tools are less precise.
However, if you perform the search on the actual search tool directly, then you will get many more hits and more comprehensive results. If you search Google, AltaVista, or any other major search tool through a metasearch tool, you will sacrifice exhaustive results for a quick glance at several search tools.
Meta-search tools do, however, serve a valuable purpose. When you want a lay-of-the-land search, a quick overview of what may be available, or a way to test your keywords, a meta-tool is a big help. The other real value in using a meta-search tool is to compare how the different search engines do against one another. If you run a search using a meta-search tool and find that Teoma gives you much better results than, say, Lycos, then you may want to go to Teoma directly for much more results.
Remember that meta-search tools use different combinations of search engines. Check to make certain that the search engines you want to use are included in that meta-search tool. Eliminate useless ones that are overwhelmed with paid placement ads, like Find What and Kanoodle.
There are also meta-search software programs you can purchase and load on to your computer that will search multiple engines. These programs, like Copernic and Bullseye do a more complete job than the free web-based meta-search tools. Meta-search software is particularly useful if you need to re-package search results for a client. There is a downside to software; you need to download and purchase the program, and sometimes there are additional steps to getting them to work properly.
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08272010
1. What are search engine crawlers and what do they do
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