Search alternatives
Sometimes, it’s easy to conclude that Google is the only game in town. More than 75% of Web searches worldwide are done using Google, and in SA the figure is believed to be more than 80%. Yet there are alternatives to Google, and some of them are not bad. Here’s our selection:
One of the best alternatives, but also one of the lesser known, is Amazon.com’s A9 (a9.com). Its results are on a par with Google’s, and it also has an excellent product search facility.
Then there’s Live Search (live.com) from Microsoft Live is a bit of a Google clone (Microsoft isn’t exactly known for the originality of its products) and, frankly, its results are not as good as Google’s (yet), but it’s getting there fast. It’s one worth watching.
Believe it or not, the once-dominant search engine AltaVista (altavista.com) still exists. And it offers a better image search than Google, allowing you to specify the resolution of the pictures you are looking for.
Ask.com (formerly Ask Jeeves) has developed a loyal following. In addition to keyword searches, it allows you to ask it questions in plain English, such as: “Why is the sky blue?”
If you enjoy things a little racy, why not check out Ms Dewey from Microsoft (msdewey.com)? The search site’s sexy, Adobe Flash-based librarian won’t find you results quickly, but she is enormous fun (if you have broadband).
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