Web Search Software

[Michael Alan Dorman]

On Thu, 5 Oct 1995, Donald A. Barclay wrote:
> Our library would like to add some software that will make our entire web 
> site searchable.  We know that there are freeware web search engines (like 
> WAIS), but we were wondering what else might be out there.  Can anyone 
> recommend a good search software for a web site?  If it is free or low 
> cost, that will be even better.

I would recommend swish (http://www.eit.com/software/swish/swish.html). 

The search engine isn't as spiffy as freeWAIS or Isearch --- it can do
complex boolean, but it doesn't do stemming, for instance --- and it is
_NOT_ Z39.50 complaint. 

However, If what you're looking for is a way for people to search your web
site from a form, I think swish (in combination with wwwwais for the form
front-end) has such a margin in ease of setup and use that it ends up
being the one to beat.  YMMV. 

You will want to study the licensing policy, of course, because it is more
restrictive than freeWAIS, or, I think, Isite.  Yahoo has as comprehensive
list of search engines as I've seen. 

Mike.
--
Michael Alan Dorman                                   Head of Systems
mdorman at caldmed.med.miami.edu           Louis Calder Memorial Library
(305) 243-5530                     University of Miami Medical School