AltaVista's "Way-cool topics map" (was: IRS...)

[Dorothy Day]

On Wed, 23 Apr 1997, Steve Harter wrote:

> This is a bit off-topic, but not much.  Alta Vista's "Way-cool topics
> map!" for Java enabled systems, and what it does with the Internal Revenue
> Service" query is quite interesting -- even spectacular.
> 
> After searching on "Internal Revenue Service" [include the quotes] in 
> the advanced search mode, click on: 
> 
> 	Way-cool topics map! -- for Java-enabled browsers
> 
> Move your mouse cursor over the terms in the graph for a full view of the
> hierarchies created.  This is definitely worth a look.  The initial query
> is easily modified by clicking on terms to be added. 
>


If you are leery of enabling Java but willing to enable JavaScript in
Netscape, you can still click on 

	Tables--for JavaScript-enabledbrowsers

Even if Java holds no fear for you, the Tables display is considerably
faster than waiting for the graphical display of relationships among
your terms, and still allows you to check or NOT out terms to refine
your search. It may or may not be visually easier for you to work with--
depends on your visual mind, I suspect.

But Steve Harter is absolutely right--Alta Vista's LiveTopics has really
transformed web searching for us. It's odd how it snuck up on us with so
few of us noticing.


---
Dorothy Day			
School of Library and Information Science
Indiana University
day at indiana.edu