Search Engine #1: WolframAlpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com) - This search engine is most helpful for someone interested in mathematical equations, facts, or help. The site is very data-oriented and gives very little background to my "test" topic (which was "Alice in Wonderland"). Extremely basic facts with little information useful to those outside of a data-focused search.
Search Engine #2: Ixquick (https://www.ixquick.com) - The major draw of this search engine is that it is a private one, meaning, for example, that searches and cookies are not saved or recorded for others to view. Though it acts very similar to Google with regards to search results (bringing up external websites), clearly the unique feature of this engine is it's dedication to user privacy.
Search Engine #3: DuckDuckGo (https://duckduckgo.com) - As with Ixquick, what distinguishes this search engine from others seems to be its protection of users' information. While Ixquick's explanation of its privacy policy was quite straightforward and "professional," DuckDuckGo offers graphics and breaks up its rationale for enacting such strict privacy guidelines. The format of search results returned looks different than Google but still contains external links. The most notable feature of this search engine is the lack of ads.
Search Engine #4: WebCrawler (http://www.webcrawler.com) - WebCrawler clearly advertises on its homepage that results are returned via Google and Yahoo! Search. Its results appear almost identical to the layout of Google's, so I would say that this search engine is useful to anyone seeking a comparable alternative to Google.
Search Engine #5: Wow (http://www.wow.com) - Wow offers quick link buttons to popular sites such as Twitter, Amazon, and Facebook on its homepage. When searching for a term, related searches appear on the right, offering a more detailed search option for information if desired. Again, the layout in which results are delivered seems a mirror image of Google's.
Search Engine #6: Yandex (http://www.yandex.com) - Yandex is a European-based company and is known for its popularity specifically in Russia. Though users are able to search in English, it does offer on its homepage a useful "translate" option. The look of returned search results certainly stands out from others that appear to just copy Google, and options such as searching for images or videos about the entered search term are easily located and usable.
Oh my some of these are new to me!!
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI'm in EDM510 and have been assigned this week to comment on your blog post. You really found a wide variety of search engines! When looking for search engines, I too, found DuckDuckGo and I was also impressed by its lack of advertisements. When I am searching for a topic it can be distracting to have several ads "flashing" on the side of my laptop's screen.
When providing links to your search engine you should try to use the link button in the HTML page to link the name of your search engine to the actual address. It's really easy to do and it saves you from having to type out the address in parenthesis each time. You did a great job with the blog post!
Hi Larry, and thanks for your comment! Unfortunately, the "link" option didn't work for me in Blogger this time (I have used it successfully in the past) - but you are right, it's a great tool!
DeleteInteresting selection. Why do you think the Link button did not work? It is rather simple to use.
ReplyDeleteClick HTML.
Select the text to be the "button".
Click Link
Paste in or type the URL.
That's it.
What were you doing wrong? Go back and put in the links.
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI am going to reiterate what Larry and Dr. Strange have stated previously; go back and add your links properly. The reason you need to do this is two fold. One - it makes your blog look neater. Two - it makes it very easy for a reader to click the link if they want to check out what you have done or if they want to see the link themselves.
It is an easy fix. If you find you have this problem in the future try saving the blog and then refreshing your browser. Sometimes I find Blogger doesn't work easily in Chrome or Explorer. So you may need to use Safari.
Just my own ideas! Click here for my blog!
From past experiences, summer reading is not beneficial if assigned the traditional way. Students are not actively engaged if they are assigned 3 books and ask to journal their thoughts or complete book reports. In the end, you end up with incomplete reports, reports written by parents, or reports practically generated from online sites. For my class, I assign my students fun projects and activities to go along with the 1 or 2 books that I assign. We want students to embrace reading not hate it.
ReplyDelete