Search Engines
(Word or Phrase Indexes)

AllTheWeb (Fast Search):  Large, fast database of indexed Web pages.  Includes images, video, MP3, and FTP files databases. Indexes complete Web pages, does not use stop words.  Does not include Boolean searching, proximity operators, or truncation.  Source: ©Fast Search.

AltaVista: A large index of Web pages with news and multimedia searches.  Provides full Boolean searches. Source: ©AltaVista Company.

Google: Google is a simple and incredibly fast search engine. Originally developed at the Stanford University Computer Science Department, it rates the relevance of a Web page to a particular search query in part by examining how many other Web pages link to it.  Google also searches the complete text of text-based pdf documents, and returns results as either pdf or text. Source: ©Google Inc.

HotBot:  One of the largest of the Web search engines.  The Advanced Search option offers a full range of powerful search features.  Source: ©Lycos, Inc.

MSN.com:  MSN is a commercial search engine and includes a subject directory.Source: Microsoft.

WayBackMachine:  Browse through 30 billion web pages archived from 1996 to a few months ago. To start surfing the Wayback, type in the web address of a site or page where you would like to start, and press enter. Then select from the archived dates available. Source: Internet Archive.

Yahoo! Search: A new Web search engine from Yahoo!  See also Yahoo's traditional directory or "subject guide" on the Directories or Subject Guides page in the Virtual Reference Desk.  Source:  © 2004 Yahoo!