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Vipin V. Nair

The pool's getting filled up as the big rival watches. Several small players are getting into the Net search business. Here are some alternatives the next time you want to `google.'

FOR most of us, searching the Net is just `Googling'. Ever since it broke into the Internet search scene, Google has become the de facto choice for surfers to find the information they need from the Web. So much so that Google is today often used as a verb that means `search the Net.' But competition's always round the corner, and seeking to take on Google are a bunch of new search engines that seek to offer a new and different search experience to users. Here is an update on these new kids on the block. You can check them out the next time you want to `Google'!

SNAP (www.snap.com)

Snap claims it `sorts, filters and presents' search results in a unique way to ensure faster and more accurate results. "Instead of just relying on computer algorithms to rank search results, Snap also uses click-stream information from a network of one million Internet users. By recording and processing which Web sites these users spend time on, and which sites they quickly leave, Snap improves the likelihood that the search results you get will be the results you're really looking for," Snap, launched by Idealab, says.

Currently in beta mode, Snap uses technology licensed from Idealab company X1 Technologies Inc. Instead of just giving links to other Web sites, Snap brings up search results in the form of a chart. You can choose the result you want in terms of parameters such as Web popularity, Web satisfaction and domain. For instance, when you search for `Kerala tourism', you get a number of Web sites such as keralatourism.org and also related key words such as maps, travel agents, hotels and houseboats.

CLUSTY (www.clusty.com)

Clusty is from is Vivismo, a developer of clustering and meta search software. Using the clustering technology, Clusty gives you search results in folders. So if you search for Hollywood films, you will get clusters such as video, photo, review, DVD and film festival, which helps you narrow down your search, rather than going through scores of links in every Web page. Clusty also provides options such as shopping, blogs, images and people searches.

CLUSH (www.clush.com)

This search engine also uses clustering technology like Clusty. But the difference is that Clush has its own search index while Clusty is meta-search site, which gets results from other search engines and information sources. Clush says it is `great for searching and organising a company's database, research articles and historical archives.' Since it is early days for Clush, its own Web index may not be as exhaustive as that of Google and Yahoo!

MOOTER (www.mooter.com)

This search engine from Australia is also based on clustering. (see eWorld dated May 24, 2004). Mooter says it uses algorithms based on `psychological modelling' to process the information required by users. The search engine claims to analyse the choice of a user and then records the results. The algorithms shuffle the results in the background and more relevant results are shown to the surfer.

A9 (www.a9.com)

A9 is from Amazon.com and it actually uses Google to search the Web. It also piggybacks on Search Inside the Book of Amazon, GuruNet for reference results and IMDb for movies. Along with the search results, it also throws up images, again using Google. Altogether, A9 seeks to give a different search experience by personalising the results; it also remembers the results and lets you know whether you have earlier clicked on a link.

Picture by S. Thanthoni

vipin@thehindu.co.in

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