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Searching the Web |
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OK, so the web is pretty cool. There are millions of pages out there, ranging from news to helpful facts to entertainment to shopping. But how do you find the page that has the information you need? Finding what you want can feel like trying to find a needle in a haystack - but there aren't needle-finding tools built into the haystack.
One type of tool to find what you want is a search engine or a directory. A search engine is a web page that is connected to a database of URLs and includes a search box. When you type a word or phrase into the search box and click the search button, a program called a "robot" or "crawler" digs through the database. When it finds something that resembles what you asked for, it sends back a new page to the web browser that contains links to the pages it thinks are related to your search.
Netscape's search engine is called Net Search. Net Search lets you choose between six different search tools: Netscape Search, AltaVista, Excite, Infoseek, LookSmart, and Lycos. All these tools contain slightly different information, but each works much the same way.
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You Try It: Search the Web Using Net Search |
- Click the Search button on Navigator's Navigation toolbar. Navigator will load the Net Search page.
- Type the words web browsers into the text box.
- Press Enter (Return) or click the Search button.
In a moment, Navigator will load a page that contains links to pages related to the words you typed. When something looks interesting, click the link. You can always use the Back button or the Go menu to return to the Search results page.
If you don't find what you're looking for, you can try your search again with a different search tool. Just go back to the Search page and click the name of a different search engine. The words you're searching for will appear in the new search tool automatically.
Browsing Directories
A directory is similar to a search engine in that it, too, stores information about the web in a database. While search engines catalog every page they can find, a directory includes only the information about pages that human beings have selected. These pages are sorted into categories. Most directories let you choose between typing words in a search box and clicking the names of categories to browse the information like a library.
Netscape's directory is called Web Directory.
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You Try It: Browse Web Directory |
- In the Location field, type the following URL: home.netscape.com/directory.
- Press Enter (Return). Navigator will load Netscape Web Directory.
- Look at the list of topics and click on something that looks interesting, such as Games. Navigator will load a page related to the topic you chose. On the Games page, you'll see a list of related topics.
- Keep clicking until you find something interesting!
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Tips for New Users |
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Tip: The Netcenter home page contains a handy search box, too. Click the N to visit Netcenter, then choose a search tool from the pull-down menu. Type in your phrase, click the button, and go!
Tip: You can visit the home page for each search tool by clicking its logo in the gray search box. To find out more about how to use a search tool, visit its web page and click the Help link.
Tip: You can search for a piece of text on a particular web page, too. From the Navigator menu bar, select Edit, Find (or Find in Page). When the Find dialog box appears, type the word you're looking for in the text box and click Find. The word will be highlighted in the Navigator window. In the search we performed for "web browsers," try finding "Mosaic." When you're done, close the Find dialog box.
Tip: The Netcenter home page functions much like a directory. You can click the name of a topic that looks interesting to access news, related links, special offers, and handy tools related to that topic.
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