internet and web site search engines, tips and hints ?

[roscoe]

There are search engines everywhere.
From iboats, to Sears, to Google, etc.

Trying to develop a list of tips for using them.
I know all tips will not work with all engines, but would like as many as possible.

Example: When searching on ebay, you can type in the word you are looking for, then type a minus sign and any words you want to exclude.

Or using quotes to lock words together into phrases.

Such as: "Mercury outboard" -manual

Who has got some really useful tips?

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: internet and web site search engines, tips and hints ?

Ive found if you use all upper case you tend to get an more to the point search and if you use all lower case you get an more general search. This seams to work on any search engine ive gone on.
Hope this helps

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: internet and web site search engines, tips and hints ?

I didn't know that one about Ebay. That alone will help me out quite a bit.

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: internet and web site search engines, tips and hints ?

Here's a couple I find I use all the time.
EBay - find multiple makes / common misspellings / alternate spelling:

(Evinrude, Johnson, OMC) (40, 40hp) manual

(pressure, pressurized, pressurised, "two line", "dual line", "duel hose", "two hose") ("gas tank", "fuel tank", "gasoline tank") (johnson, evinrude, omc)

Find a common item with a misspelled name and you can do quite well!

Google - find something on a specific website:

"smart tabs" site:iboats.com

Often quite a bit faster than trying to navigate the site to find the right page.

 

[boatsource]

Re: internet and web site search engines, tips and hints ?

I'd recommend you go to each search site and read the "Advanced Search Tips" that most of them have. There are so many search engines with control operators and custom built search functions in places that you'd spend a lifetime getting advice in a form like this.

That aside, I really like the "define: KEYWORD" feature in google.