Searching for Structure

摘要

No wonder Google pulled off its public stock offering: More than 70 million Americans use search engines weekly according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project—and Google is the most popular search engine by far. Search engines aren't just popular, they're indispensable; almost one-third of respondents said they couldn't live without Internet search engines. But as the volume of information on the Web continues to expand, even the casual once-a-week searcher can become frustrated with the keyword search results from general search engines like Google. The pros, schooled in Boolean search skills, might fare a bit better, but how about the business person who's not a super searcher? Many are looking for a better way. This isn't to say Google, Ask Jeeves, and MSN will disappear. I expect they'll continue to grow. Rather, for specialized business purposes, new tools are required, and business people are increasingly open to experimentation as new search tools emerge.