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Captain Dave's Search Portal

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Captain Dave's Search Engine List


Fat Head 

Direct Hit

ZD Net 


Top 50

 

Directories

Yahoo!
Snap.com
Open Directory
Hotrate.com
MSN Search
Gee-Wiz!
LookSmart
OpenHere
About.com
Galaxy


GoTo.com


Magellan


Starting Point
ZenSearch
Scrub the Web
Zipee
What'sNewToo!
RealNames
Aeiwi
DisInformation
JumpCity
Infohiway

Gocee

Regional

EuroSeek
Anzwers au nz
California
Canada.com
CurryGuide uk
Lycos uk
Silicon Valley

Robots

Northern Light
Raging Search
Alta Vista
HotBot
FAST Search
Google
InfoSeek
AOL NetFind
ColorStamps
Lycos
Excite
Links2Go
Direct Hit
InfoTiger
EZResult
Yeehaa
Aliweb
Yep.com

Meta Search

Ixquick
MetaCrawler
Metafind
Fossick
SavvySearch
Supercrawler
WebCrawler
IOport
MetaGopher
Dogpile
Debriefing
Ask Jeeves!
Gohip!


Mamma.com


whatUseek
InferenceFind

News Groups

Deja.com
Search the FAQs

Specialty

GoCee Shopping
Amazon.com
TotalNEWS
AuctionWatch
DowJones.com
eHow
Google Linux
GovBot (USA)
Searchopolis
Uncle Sam

 

The Top 15
The Biggest, Fastest, Best of the Best

WebCrawler Usually pretty fast and thorough. Has become my first choice Alta Vista Definitely one of the NEW PowerHouse search Engines SNAP A VERY good, comprehensive and quite new search site. Could move to #1 ! HotBot Another powerful one in the top 12 group Excite Search Engine, Links to over 11 million pages Yahoo One of My favorite starting Point. Usually productive, available & fast InfoSeek Searches Web pages full text and NewsGroups Ask Jeeves answers questions submitted in any form. Quite a good site. Aliweb A Public Service provided by NEXOR, UK The Front Page / LinkStar Search Engine Getting Faster & Better all the time Lycos Pretty thorough BUT also Pretty Busy during the day - Best used @ Nite Web Wombat - well done Australian Search Engine that been around since the beginning Matilda Large, well organized and responsive Australian Search Engine Open Text Livelink Pinstripe. Search site designed specifically for the business community MultiMeta Bilingual simultaneous search in English/Deutsch/Español/Francais/Italiano

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Searchbug
A meta search engine using the same database as Mamma.com  with similar results above average results.

zInternet  
Powered by Mamma (see review above).

Findspot  
A directory of search engines and search engine tools.

Simpli  
New technology quasi meta search engine. Starting with a clean homepage design this search engine provides the ubiquitous query box. After entering your keywords and hitting the return key this engine does a preliminary sort and comes up with one or more core categories to search in the scrollable menu below the query box. If the category is appropriate (e.g. if you enter trimaran, it will suggest "sailboat"), the next step is to click on the search button for the actual search.

We like the effort to narrow the search via a preliminary search but does it improve the relevancy of the following search? In our tests we found only average relevancy of suggested listings. This could be due to the limited number of databases searched (only 3, DirectHit, Inktomi, Excite) and the lack of any filtering system to sort the results based on cumulative relevancy. Another annoying problem was the lack of a search box on the results page. I.e. you need to hit to return to the home page to start a search. Unlike some search engines which sit stagnant after their initial development we have high hopes for Simpli as they continue to work on the quality of this search tool. (read their press release)

Black Widow  
Meta search engine and links to core categories from the Open Directory Project. If meta search engines are a good tool and directories are another than putting the two together should create a killer search tool. Right? Given the mediocre performance of this meta search engine, low relevancy of listings, you're better off using a high quality meta search engine, one that searches the Open Project Directory such as: ZWorks.

Dogpile  
One of the first and most commonly used meta search engines, dogpile searches 3 databases at a time and then asks if you want to search more. Provides options allowing you to select which databases to search Results are average in relevancy and is sequential mode of searching is more cumbersome than many of the newer, more accurate and comprehensive meta search engines.

ProFusion  
Searches the most popular search engines. Graphics and results list are clunky.

Proteus  
An easy way to access 30 of the most popular search engines and meta search tools.

Searchrunner  
This meta search engine is fast, covering up to ? 20 search engines. To use this search tool first you need to find the query box on this poorly designed homepage. Once this engine starts, its a sprinter, returning up to 250 results. Unfortunately it runs in circles, returning many duplicate listings. Speed and comprehensiveness are high, if you don't mind wading through 100s of listings unorganized listings.

Voyager  
Meta search engine that groups pages by site. Use the features on the query form to customize your search.

ZWorks  
This meta search engine is average in performance, returning far to many pages from each individual site resulting in only a few sites being featured on each results page. Elimination of redundant listings would be a step in the right direction.

AllDeal  
An unimpressive meta search engine. Findings of average to below average relevancy.

AskScott  
AskScott queries you as to the type of search you are making. It uses your answers to lead you through a decision tree to a search engine best suited to a specific type of query. Unfortunately it doesn't appear to have been updated recently and depends on a limited number of engines.

BetterBrain  
Searches the top 12 search engines and presents results organized by engine in one long easy to read scrollable list.

CurryGuide  
Meta search engine providing the top 3 results from FAST, Altavista and Excite. Does allow searches to be limited by country.

FooSearch  
Searches the top five search engines. Provides the top ten listings from each categorized by engine.

FreezerSearch  
A meta search engine. Searches up to 10 engines at once, depending on how many you select. Results provided in hard to read typeface, with no information as to relevance or which search engine found.

MetaCrawler 
Metacrawler simultaneously searches 12 of the Internet's leading search engines. Has the option to sort results by relevance, by source search engine, or by originating site. This popular search tool suffers from low relevancy of listings and has been left in the dust by the newer more accurate meta search engines.

MetaSearch  
Access the top seven search engines.

PopularSites  
Searches the top six search engines. Results include many redundant listings.

SavvySearch  
Searches up to 12 engines including: Lycos, WebCrawler, Google, All The Web, Thunderstone, Infoseek, Direct Hit, HotBot, Excite, Galaxy, AltaVista, NationalDirectory and Usenet.

The Search Page  
220+ hyperlinks for people who want to search the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) for something but don't know where to start.

www37  
A meta search engine that is supposed to search up to 37 search engines. Homepage design is cluttered and hard to use. Ability to control search engines limited and relevancy only average. Results pages are poorly laid out. In this case, more is not better.

AlfaSeek 
Multiple query form for meta search and other search engines. This search tool is based on the idea that if meta search engines are a good idea, access to more meta search engines is even better. How do you spell "redundant?" Searching with multiple meta search engines is generally a waste of time. It makes far more sense just to pick one of the top ranked meta search engines, and use it.

AskArchie  
Claims to be a meta search engine, but our tests found it only searched the Open Project Directory database.

Highway 61  
Searches limited to Yahoo, Webcrawler and Excite. Does provide a quote to read while waiting for search results.

Langenberg  
Awkward graphic interface and organization.

MyGo  
Average performing meta search engine. Includes far to many redundant listings. Provides links at the bottom of the page to 19 of the most popular individual search engines.

One2Seek  
This meta search engine gets points for its comprehensiveness and its ability to enable users to customize searches, including a natural language query option and a family filter. Unfortunately relevancy doesn't appear to play a role in listings provided. review updated!

Search123  
Formerly SearchSpaniel (a mutt), Search123 is now an average performing meta search engine. It covers a limited number of databases. Unlike most current meta search engines that list all results together (and indicate which search engine they came from) this meta search engine just groups them by search engine giving the user the task of sifting through redundant listings.

SearchSpot  
Provides access to multiple search engines and a front door to 4anything.com. Includes a pop up window on the left side of your browser for selecting which search engines to use. Unfortunately this was not operative using Netscape or Internet Explorer browsers operating from a Macintosh computer.

SmartBorg  
To find the best search engine for the job enter a word or a phrase and SmartBorg suggests a search engine to use. We love the idea, now if it just added value to the search process. In our tests we found its recommendations didn't always jive with what we were looking for. Overall it directed us to competent search engines but you'd could do just as well by starting with a good meta search engine or the appropriate specialty search engine.

Surfy  
Average performing meta search engine with cute surfy images next to each listing. Not our first choice of a search tool but not our last.

Web-Search  
Average performing meta search engine. You can select which engines to search. Results grouped by engine and reflecting the relevancy of the individual engines.

Worldlight  
An limited meta search engine covering only 4 search engines (2 of which use the same database). Results are average in accuracy (7 out of 10 where relevant) and include a high level of redundancy.

All4One  
Uses confusing 4 frame layout to present search results from 4 popular engines.

1Blink  
Clumsy meta search engine that only searches two engines at a time. Searching of additional engines available. Includes links to the Open Project Directory for limited category searching. A rewrite of their basic algorthim is needed to search all search engines at once and provide an integrated results page with sites ranked by relevance as a growing number of other meta search engines have done. Not recommended. 

CleverSearch  
Poor layout and slow performance are less than clever. Metasearch results were average in relevancy. We did like the world news summary at bottom of the page, which is refreshed every 27 seconds.

Debriefing  
Searches the top 5 most popular search engines. Very fast, but current page design is almost illegible.

Digisearch  
This meta search engine has potential but its unrealized as of yet. Provides the ability to select up to 15 search engines. Unfortunately results are presented in confusing layout and include redundant listings. Use of this engine is buggy and regularly it freezes or dies while posting results pages.

Findit-Quick  
Worse than average meta search engine with unappealing graphics, poor relevancy and an emphasis on promoting adult listings. Not recommended.

ForkZ  
A version of the Open Project Directory which provides extremely limited results of poor relevancy.

FrameSearch  
You select from scrollable lists the 4 engines to search. It provides the search engines results pages in 4 frames, similar to All4One.

Freeality 
A simple way to search multiple search engines by category. Not a true meta search engine but provides access to 100s of search sources, many are just commercial sites with limited listings.

Gohip  
“A metasearch which returns results from three (3) pay-per-click engines in sequence (followed by MSN results to make it look a bit better): Goto, Kanoodle, and Findwhat. Serious web searchers should be aware that this doesn't offer a fair cross-section of major search engines and directories“ Reviewed by Andrew Goodman, Traffick.com 

Gogettem  
Not a meta search engine but rather a one stop for opening search engine windows. Enter your search terms once and watch up to 18 browser windows open at once. Another way to annoy people rather than help them.

MatchSite  
Metasearch 9 of the major search engines at once. Results provided in a scrollable frames wiindow. Listings were silightly lower than average in relevancy.

TheInfo  
Allows you to enter your query once to search many general search engine or similarly for 11 core topic areas. Each engine's results page returned as a separate browser window. So watch out! Depending on how many engines you select you your query will open up to 14 browser windows. Is this helpful? We like the notion of meta searching specialty topic area search engines at one time.

While this site provides access to the search engines, unlike most meta search tools it doesn't consolidate the information and prioritize it making the search process an excessive data dump. And instead of loading one results page see how bogged down your computer gets went it tries to load 4-10 results pages at once with attendant adds. Not recommended for general use. If you can find your subject area in the short list of specialty search engines they are each worth a try, just don't select more than one or two at a time.

keyword.com 
Use internet keywords to search 6 search engines. Results provided in one long list with redundant listings. Keyword registration provided if you provide personal financial information, etc.

MaximumEdge  
Metasearch engine that covers 14 search engine databases, including the largest ones. Unfortunately, results aren't analyzed for relevancy, and barely are remotely on target. Poorly designed and confusing layout to homepage doesn’t help.

MyProwler  
Meta search engine without the advertising banners. While this is a nice feature this search tool only covers a limited number of databases and provides less than average relevancy (4 out of 10).

Pegasoweb  
Meta search engine that allows you to search by category. Unfortunately this engine is marred by poor relevance of findings. Not recommended.

PrimeSearch  
Not really a meta search tool. Just provides links to the popular search engines.

Proteus for Young People  
Access six search engines for youth.

SmartEngine  
Less than smart, this hard to read metasearch engine (light blue type is never a winner) provides findings of lower than average relevancy.

Supercrawler  
Searches the top five most popular engines (Yahoo, Excite, Altavista, Lycos and Infoseek). Provides one long list of results without indicating which engine they came from or eliminating the many redundant listings.

SurfFast  
Provides the search query form to 10 search engines. Not a meta search engine, since each search must be preformed individually.

Webtaxi  
Not a real meta search engine. Provides a direct link to the most popular engines.

Searchthenet 
Access 9-12 search engines., newsgroups and yellow pages.

BigHub  
Simultaneous searches 5-9 search engines. Six of these are pay for placement engines so results are highly biased and relevancy based on how much sites are willing to pay. Not recommended for accurate searches.

EZCrawler  
Meta search engine with homepage graphics so bad its worth checking our for a laugh. Just don't use it, its performance is poor, providing low relevancy of findings and numerous redundant listings.

Seti-Search 
Not a meta-search engine but provides access to a small assortment (9 total) of search engines and meta search engines.

Spiderfind  
Slow and inaccurate meta search engine. Not recommended.

1stack  
Query multiple search engines and web sites with one browser page, up to 4 at a time. Results provided in one quarter window sections. You had better be a master at using the scroll taps on your browser window in order to use this search tool. Showing search results in a quarter page is almost useless. Not recommended.

Search Thingy  
Using this query form you only need to enter your search terms once. Then after you search each engine, just use the back button to return to the form and select another engine to search. Why waste time on such a clumsy search tool when so many better ones exist. Not recommended.

MegaSearch  
This megasearch engine is now just a front door to mallagent and is extremely slow and disfunctional. Not recommended.

Hyperindex Search  
Australian meta search engine. Use automatic phrase based clustering to help query formulation.

InfoTiger Search Engine
Appears to search multiple databases in parallel but provides no information on the site as to where and how it gets information.

Multimetea
Bilingual meta search engine, simultaneous search in several international and German search engines.

Netacer
Version of metagopher. Includes preselected set of speciality search engines, with only one per subject category.

Somewhere
Directory of some of the popular search engines.

SPDQ
Directory of search engines and meta search engines. Includes query forms for many of the engines listed.

SpireProject
Portal to search engines, meta search engines and search information.

Worldlight  
Access a handful of popular search engines.