World Wide Web search tools

This article describes and compares five popular general search tools and two popular general metasearch tools. The tools and their related files in February 1998 are the source of information and illustrations. A MEDLINE(R) search no longer guarantees retrieval of the most current, relevant, appropriate, and useful information. To meet demands for current information, the World Wide Web (WWW) must be searched. However, the enormous size of the WWW makes finding relevant information a difficult task. Fortunately, there are many automated search tools that can assist in locating relevant information quickly. Choosing the most appropriate tool depends on the type of information being sought.