# Is Googol The Last Word in Search Engines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 14, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849 "2001-06-14T22:14:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/1 "2001-06-14T22:14:19Z")
When I need to find something fast, I rely on Googol, not on Yahoo! or MSN or Mamma or Northern Light or others. If I don’t find what I’m looking for from Googol, I generally consider it a lost cause. But should I? Just how exhaustive is Googol for non-academic subjects? BTW, what is your favorite search engine–and why? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/2 "2001-06-14T22:30:45Z")
I’ve often wanted to ask this question too, but more in terms of, “What’s the deal with Dopers and Google already? It’s a great search engine, but do I get booted out of the club if I say, ‘Here’s a great thing I found on Altavista?’”. I used to use Altavista because it seems to be very comprehensive, but it’s also slow and unwieldy. I can’t stand Yahoo. Before I get accused of heresy, I have to say Google is my favourite, with [Search Bastard](http://www.searchbastard.com) a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/3 "2001-06-14T22:55:25Z")
Yes Yes we all love google. It is our helper it is our friend, but it only skims the top of what is really out there. A typicale search engine only skims the top of the Web. What these search engines don’t see is known as the “deep” or “invisible Web” The deep web contains nearly 550 Billion documents, where as the the surface only contains around 1 billion. I know Google advertises as searching just over a Billion pages, this is true. The deep web consists of data that search engines usually miss, including PDF files and streaming audio and video and things contained in data bases etc…etc… Searching deep web directories is not as easy as searching with a search engine and may take a user some time to get used to it. Here are some deep web searching tools that for the experiences are quite invaluable. Direct Search: gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/%7egprice/direct.htm [InvisibleWeb.com](http://InvisibleWeb.com): [http://www.invisibleweb.com](http://www.invisibleweb.com) InfoMine: infomine.ucr.edu/search.phtml Happy searching…and OH Google God your still awsome ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/4 "2001-06-14T22:56:36Z")
oops I forgot to link direct search and infomine, so just copy and paste 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/5 "2001-06-14T23:01:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tsunamisurfer \* > I rely on Googol Which leaves me dying to know how you can possibly depend very heavily upon a web site who’s name (and thus, presumably, URL) you can’t spell … 😕 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@Arken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arken)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2001, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/6 "2001-06-14T23:01:36Z")
Do you use Gogol to search for souls, noses and overcoats? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/7 "2001-06-15T00:14:40Z")
Stangley enough [http://www.googol.com](http://www.googol.com) has a search engine of sorts. It looks like it was a web page for some guy and then google came along and he had to add a greeting page to tell you to goto google. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/8 "2001-06-15T02:46:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > **I can’t stand Yahoo.** Surprise!! Yahoo’s search engine is powered by Google; has been for over a year. [Look in the top left corner.](http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=%22straight+dope%22&hc=1&hs=6) ---
**Author:** ![tsunamisurfer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@tsunamisurfer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsunamisurfer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/9 "2001-06-15T02:48:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KneadToKnow \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by tsunamisurfer \* > > I rely on Googol > > Which leaves me dying to know how you can possibly depend very heavily upon a web site who’s name (and thus, presumably, URL) you can’t spell … 😕 > > 😃 \*\* a website isn’t a “who,” knead. P.S. Thinking “whose” instead? Still wrong. (meow) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/10 "2001-06-15T02:54:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Phlosphr \* > \*\*The deep web consists of data that search engines usually miss, including PDF files and streaming audio and video and things contained in data bases etc…etc… > \*\* Google does search into PDF files, BTW. It has resulted in a 20x increase in my ability to find info in government documents. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/11 "2001-06-15T03:00:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arken \* > \*\*Do you use Gogol to search for souls, noses and overcoats? 😉 \*\* [totalhijack]This kinda stuff is what makes [straightdope.com](http://straightdope.com) great.[/totalhijack] ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/12 "2001-06-15T03:20:38Z")
likewise, [www.ggogle.com](http://www.ggogle.com) has a direct link to google (and yes, they probably make a bunch off of ad impressions). Same with [Yaho!](http://www.yaho.com) I used to use SavvySearch, back when it was an experimental engine running at the U. of Colorado. I have yet to see a search engine out there that comes close to the depth you could get from an intentionally wide search. Sadly, the commercialized version got progressively crappier, until it wasn’t worth using. Google and Altavista are my top choices, but I definitely get better results from Google. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/13 "2001-06-15T05:54:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by TheLoadedDog \* > > **I can’t stand Yahoo.** > > Surprise!! Yahoo’s search engine is powered by Google; has been for over a year. [Look in the top left corner.](http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=%22straight+dope%22&hc=1&hs=6) \*\* I don’t quite get this. The link you gave me, **Fear Itself** , is quite obviously some sort of Google-powered Yahoo search, but when I go to the main Yahoo page and search from there, I see no menton of Google. The search you gave me had a URL starting with [http://google.yahoo.com](http://google.yahoo.com) (which I’d never heard of until you gave me the link), but when I typed just that into my browser, I was redirected to the Yahoo homepage. WTF? Anyway, Yahoo’s search engine, Googlified or not, is probably quite powerful, but the thing I don’t like about the original one is the way the results are presented. Your Googlified one seems a bit better. ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/14 "2001-06-15T06:13:57Z")
I don’t quite get it either. Before visiting the link that Fear Itself provided, yahoo searches did not go to the “Powered by Google” results page (I verified this on another machine), but now they do. It must be either depositing a cookie on my machine that indicates that the google results page should be used. But wait, I just did another search and got a results page which doesn’t say “powered by google”. Perhaps it depends on which engine gives better results? ---
**Author:** ![galt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@galt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/15 "2001-06-15T06:16:25Z")
> [@](#): > > It must be either depositing a cookie on my machine that indicates that the google results page should be used. That should have been “It must be either depositing a cookie … or remembering my IP address”. ---
**Author:** ![Lockfist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/838e76/32.png) [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/16 "2001-06-15T06:34:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Is Googol [sic] The Last Word in Search Engines? Yes. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/17 "2001-06-15T06:44:29Z")
Yahoo pays Google a fee for every web search that Google serves to Yahoo; the aforementioned web search, however, is only served if the search doesn’t result in any hits in Yahoo’s directory. I’d like to pretend that I use [the open directory project](http://dmoz.org) for directory searches rather than Yahoo, but I’d be lying. [hijack] Just what the hell does dmoz stand for, anyway? [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/18 "2001-06-15T06:50:36Z")
That makes sense. Thanks, **black455**. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/19 "2001-06-15T06:59:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by black455 \* > \*\* > [hijack] > Just what the hell does dmoz stand for, anyway? > [/hijack] \*\* “Copyright © 1998-2001 Netscape” **D** irectory **MOZ** illa perhaps? Maybe. **TLD** : No prob. Actually, I think that external searches are Google’s major source of revenue. Can’t remember where I read it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2001, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849/20 "2001-06-15T08:07:24Z")
[Finding Information on the Internet, A Tutorial](http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-googol-the-last-word-in-search-engines/68849.md?page=2)