Comparing indexing tools

Aims Of This Exercise

This exercise is intended for use in a hands-on exercise and in discussion groups.

3.1 Webwatch

Look at the latest survey of UK HE search engine use at <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/surveys/uk-he-search-engines/survey-jun2001.html>. At the bottom of the page there is a table with connections to search engine index services (where they have them*).

*It is worth noting that Ultraseek and Inktomi are essentially the same product, the company having been taken over, and the Ultraseek search service has been discontinued.

Choose 2 of the search services (or 1 and your favourite) and enter the same search term.

Compare the quantity, quality and appropriateness of the results.

3.2 Sites and search engines

Look at the article <http://www.araidne.ac.uk/issue24/web-watch/> and, at a few of the sites, compare the relative size of the institution, the numbers of web servers and the search engines they use (article in question 3.1, above).

Can you see any correlation, and can you think of why such conclusions might be red herrings?