What's the point of search engines?

[David]

Back in pre-Google days, it was important to search the web using 3 or 4 search engines in order to find as many relevant results as possible but that's no longer necessary - one will do (two at a pinch). So why the heck are there so many search engines when they give the same results and look practically the same? Check any search term at WebCrawler (http://www.webcrawler.com/) or Dogpile (http://www.dogpile.com/) or AllTheWeb (http://www.alltheweb.com/) or MetaCrawler (http://www.metacrawler.com/) or... they are all the same. What's the point?

[Tom]

Of course I use Google, but I am less enchanted with it than at first. Two examples of annoyances are (1) the vast number of shell 'Adsense-only' sites which come up (2) the number of times I am caught (eg by Jstor and Questia) when Google have indexed the content but it turns out you have to be a subscriber to actually see the content. Re the first problem, they probably need to bring back humans. See for example http://www.chacha.com/ . Re a year-old discussion of the future of search, see http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/search_20_what_is_next.php

[James]

For the consumer, there is little point. I think these sites are just attempting to cream some advertising revenue from the results pages. I particularly hate Dogpile and Metacrawler as the sponsored links are almost indistiguishable from natural links. They also keep trying to serve up adult-related content which is terrible (try searching for "free photos" on Dogpile and Metacrawler, they are trying to push content from "DestinationXXX" - not appreciated).

[Tom]

They say Google has invented the greatest money making machine in history, so its understandable that others are attempting clones. In line with Ervin Steltzer, they should be going for niches.

[Mia]

Isn't it more that these sites were around before Google and that they are just trying to hang on in there by the skin of their teeth?

I do love Google, and to be honest it is a long time since I used another search engine, although I am wary of monopolies and sometimes it feels a bit too vast with small sites struggling to get a look in in popular areas.

I would definitely use more niche search engines if they were as good with the personal touch of human editors... Maybe something between a blog and a search engine?

[Tom]

My brother, who might think of as a rather sane doctor, seems to have it in mind that Google are now in league with the CIA, not to mention employing special staff to read his emails and sell his personal data to the Russians.

Re niche search engines: I am sure you are right and they will come - someday!