Name of Search Engine	(Name of First Search Engine)	(Name of Second Search Engine)
What is the URL?	http://www.google.com	http://www.altavista
What is it used for?	To provide "services and monetization for users, advertisers, and publishers on the internet. . . " (www.google.com/corporate/software_principles) Google's mission is "organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful." (www.google.com/coporate)	"used for providing search services and technology.  Also advances internet search with new technologies and features designed to improve the search experience."(www.altavista.com/about)
How easy or difficult is it to figure out how to search?	Very easy	Very easy
How do you navigate through it?	The main page consists of one large window with the term google search underneath.  Just type in the words or words you wish to search and go.  Also, offers an advance search, perferences (search in 35 languages) and an option to translate text into another language.	The main page consists of one large window with FIND prompt on left.   Just type in words or words you wish to search and click on FIND.  Beneath window gives options for search: worldwide, USA.  Also allows search to be conducted in English or Spanish.  Advance search settings also available.
How many Web sites are covered?	Over 1.5 million URLs covered and more than 4 billion webpages searched.	Could not find specific number of sites covered but it was mentioned in "All About Alta Vista" that "billions" of webpages are searched.
What are some searching tips?	1) To narrow your search, add more words to the search terms you have already entered. 2) Try obvious by first using the most general terms. 3) Use words likely to appear on a site with the information you want. 4) Make key words as specific as possible.	1) Be as specific as possible with word choices. 2) Enter words you think will appear on the web page you want. 3) To search for an exact phrase, put it in quotes.
Can you change the default search logic?	Yes.	Yes.
Can you change the way in which results are displayed?	Yes.  Google gives display options such as images, groups, news, froogle, also different languages.  Also has "I'm feeling lucky" to display the one result that matches the closest.	Yes.  Alta Vista gives display options such as images, audio, video, directory and news.  Also, can display in Spanish.
How many results did you receive?	Using keywords: RI summer camps - overnight, I received 16,800 results.	Using keywords: RI summer camps - overnight, I received 3,052 results.
How current are the results?	Very up-to-date (summer 2004).	Up-to-date (2003-04).
What proportion of the results were relevant?	Approx. 30% of the results were directly relevant to camps in RI.	Approx. 50% of the results were directly relevant to camps in RI.  50% related to camps elsewhere in the US.
Was the amount of detail displayed with the results adequate?	Amount of detail was somewhat adequate for the RI camps displayed.  I would have expected more RI camps to have been displayed.	Amount of detail was adequate.  More RI camps were displayed than in Google.com.
Was the order in which the results were displayed evident and/or logical?	The order was somewhat logical.  The first few sites were of RI camps, then it moved on to national camps,  related sites such as sports camps, camp sites and camping vacations.	The order was similar to Google.com.
What are the strengths/weaknesses?	Strengths: Google has a large pool of information/sites from which to select results.  Has varied options to search.  The portal is clean, easy to read and use.  In a clear, effecient format, it offers a great deal of background information about its corporation, tips to search, history, news, establishing a web site, and contacting Google with questions. Weaknesses: My sample search resulted in a disappointing array of sites, perhaps because there are too many sites to select from.  However, other searches in the past have been fine and with more digging, I ultimately find what I'm looking for.	Strengths: Since Alta Vista has a smaller amount of information to select from, the results of my search were more focused and accurate.  Has many varied options to search similar to Google. Format makes it easy to search.  I like the choice of  being able to search Worldwide or USA.   Weaknesses: The portal is hard to read, words seem to be fading.  Does not offer enough information in the "About Alta Vista" section, not nearly as much as in Google.  Could not fine information to answer specific questions such as how many sites does it cover, and how often is it updated.
How often is it updated?	I e-mailed Google with this question and they answered: "Google's robots crawl the web on a regular cycle of four to six weeks, indexing more than four billion webpages.  New sites, changes to existing sites, and dead links will all be noted in the course of the next crawl, which will be completed soon."	Alta Vista claims that it is adding websites and new information regularly.  Its news groups are updated "in real time."  I'm still waiting for a more specific answer through e-mail.
What is the e-mail address to submit questions?	help@google.com	Has no e-mail address but can reach an e-mail box  by clicking on help - search - then the e-mail box appears.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1=poor, 10=superior), rate each search engine.	9	8
Briefly describe why you rated each as you did.	Overall, Google is a great search engine, created to make searching easy, informative and current for the user.  But because it contains so many sites, its results are often quite large and not as focused initially.  Fine tuning the search by using search tips, advance search and other helpful options, do ultimately help the user in finding more accurate results.	Alta Vista is a good search engine with a lot of options to help fine tune a search such as language, audio, video, worldwide and USA, etc.  Because it does not have as many sites as Google, the results of a search are more focused and accurate.  I tried various searches and was pleased with most of the results.  The main draw back is its hard to read main page, lack of an e-mail address, and limited background information of its services and corporation (as compared to Google.)