WWW Search Engines & Class Bulletin Board

Tom Kelliher, CS 102

Jan. 28, 1998

Quiz material:

1. What we've discussed in class.

2. The three readings.

3. Clarification on ``A Brief History of the Internet.'' You are responsible for only the following sections: Introduction, Origins of the Internet, Transition to Widespread Infrastructure, and History of the Future.

From last time:

1. Skills learned: Downloading a document from the Web, Using MS Word, e-mail attachments.

2. Select-then-do model in MS Word.

3. Bookmarks/Favorites.

Outline:

1. Search engines.

2. Class bulletin board.

Assignment:

Search Engines

1. What is a search engine?

2. Finding the ``Searching the Web'' entry at Yahoo. Bookmark it.

3. The types of search engines:
   1. Directory search tool. Indexed by subject matter. Example: LookSmart. Like an expanding table of contents.

   2. Search engine. Accesses databases by using keywords. Results in ``hits.'' Example: AltaVista. Like the index in a book.

   3. Combined directory/search engine. Allows you to switch between the two methods. The deeper in the directory you go, the narrower the field of search for the search engine. Example: Yahoo.

   4. Multi-Engine. A so-called meta-search engine that uses a number of other search engines to perform searches. Example: MAMMA.

4. How do they know what's out there? Spiders and Robots.

5. How do I use one?

   Exercise: Working in groups of two, visit
   http://www.ultranet.com/~egrlib/tutor.htm#Search g --- Search Exercise and try the four different searches. Take summary notes of your successes/failures for the next exercise.

Class Bulletin Board

• A bulletin board is another form of electronic communication: an asynchronous gathering place for ideas and discussions.

• Where is our bulletin board.

• How do I use it?

• Exercise: post your summary notes from the search exercise to the class bulletin board.