Top choice search engines

This site was created by Erik Heinemann:

a teacher and a student

The Web is a huge place. There are literally billions of documents and pages that you can search through for whatever your imagination can conjure. Search engines are a way of finding links and sorting information based on certain criteria. There are many search engines and ways of performing searches and they, themselves can operate on any number of different methods. It all gets confusing and complicated. The following is just a brief selection of some of my favorite search engine sites and why. Do with them what you will for your opinion may differ from mine.

Overall search engine:

1. Top ranked search engine is Google. This engine is just a general search engine and is useful in the wide variety and number of sites that can be found by typing in key words. The site also has different categories in which one could search as the site has its own web, news, images, and even local searches that can be performed while at the same time offering advanced search options and other important help.

2. Right up there with Google is Yahoo! This site is equal to Google in many ways but also offers links to some of the more popular headlines and choice places people go such as games, or horoscopes. One feature found here, but not in Google is the directories option as Yahoo! can take you to directories. The drawback is that there is a visual overload with Yahoo! as it presents many things you may not want or need if you are going to perform a simple search.

News search engines:

1. CNN.com –Though the site is specific in that it focuses on the news presented the Turner network of news channels and news sites, it is one of the better sites to visit for news. It provides world headlines as well as US and regional. In addition to a search option allowing you to search navigate the site, it provides categories as you can search for news related to certain issues or topics. A great source for news and news searches.

2. News.google.com and news.yahoo.com—Most general search engines have their own news searches that they can perform and will provide a tremendous amount of information about the world in which we live. The reason these sites are not top on my list is that when you perform a search with them, you will often find that they rely on CNN and other such sites for their information. The benefit to the general search engine news links is that you can also find local news relating to your hometown.

Government search engines:

1. SearchGov.com—this is one of the most organized search engines that you will come across as it has a general government search, but also allows you to search by agency, by state, by cabinet and even independent agencies that are affiliated with government. I rank this as a great site for finding government information; however there is one drawback as the agencies and other government locations are labeled by acronyms and to search these sites you may need to know them before entering or you will end up searching an agency you do not want.

2. FirstGov.gov—this too is a fantastic site. It offers many of the same features as the SearchGov site, but is organized so that the index for the different agencies is located on the left side. You will have to click a few links to find the agency or state government information that you seek, but it can all be found using this site.

Kid friendly searches:

1. Ask Jeeves Kids—this and most kid friendly sites are organized in a way to automatically filter certain things; yet they will still provide ample information on a subject that a kid would dare to ask. When reading through the “about” link you will find the site has links that are G-rated as they are picked by an editor to be included. Though it is not a filter, it will not link to inappropriate sites. Just for fun go to the site and ask about something you know kids shouldn’t be into and you will find that this site will leave you with “no results found” or link you to educational sites on the subject (which, when clicked may still leave you with “page cannot be found”).

2. Kidsclick.org—A great kid friendly site as it organizes and indexes several categories while at the same time offering an alphabetical search of over 600 subjects. Kids can use this site to find information quickly without the fear of inappropriate information as each link is hand picked by the organizers. It does not filter out URLs but does connect kids with “good” sites for their use.

Travel engines:

1. Expedia.com—a comprehensive search engine for hotels, destinations, you name it. The site provides all of the information and will even allow you to book your flight, hotel, rental car, etc. through this site or links to specific places. What makes this site better than some of the others is that it has destinations all over the world. Some travel sites are specific for different countries or regions, but with Expedia you will find destinations in just about every place you might want to travel.

2. Travelocity.com—If I had to choose between this and Expedia, it would be a difficult choice. Both sites are great for finding your destination and can take you almost anywhere in the world. I like the layout and the format of the Expedia only slightly over the Travelocity though. I find both sites to be extremely useful, but if I had to choose, Travelocity would be second based solely on my opinion (you may disagree). Travelocity does offer that your deal made with them will be upheld as they “guarantee” your satisfaction.

3. Southwest Airlines—This or any airline direct web page can be extremely useful. Losing business and deals to sites like Expedia and Travelocity, the airlines will often offer deals if you book directly with them. As such these sites are just as useful and equally fast as the big travel sites. The drawback to dealing with the airlines directly is that you are limited to the region or airports to which they fly; these sites do not take you all over the world.

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