Googling to the Max
Googling Guide #4
Google Databases, Features, and Shortcuts
Equivalents in Other Major Search Engines
Research Quality Web Searching, Part 1
Teaching Library
UC Berkeley
SEARCHABLE DATABASES (PROPRIETARY OR CONTRACTUAL)
Where to find
Web pages
Directory
Images
News
Shopping &
Products
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Local businesses •
& services
Groups
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Google
Yahoo!
www.google.com
search.yahoo.com
4.2+ billion (1 billion not indexed)
1.5+ million
800+ million
4,500 sources
Froogle: web pages + merchantsupplied catalogs & info
Catalogs: scanned & uploaded
catalogs
Local search: web pages + yellow
pages; with maps, proximity choices
Type product & US city or zip code:
cameras
berkeley
bphonebook: name city
Groups: Usenet newsgroups sinc
1981 plus new content
Groups2: Create new groups
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3+ billion
2 million
Unspecified "millions"
7,000 sources
Products: Search, browse,
compare, set price limits
Teoma/Ask Jeeves
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static.wc.ask.com/docs/
announcements/searchsmarter.html
About 1 billion (in Teoma)
No equivalent
"Pictures" from PicSearch.com
From Moreover.com
Products: from PriceGrabber.com
• Yellow pages closest equivalent
• No equivalent
• groups.yahoo.com: Create or join
existing groups.
• No equivalent
GOOGLE FEATURES & SHORTCUTS WITH COMPARABLE EQUIVALENTS
Google
Yahoo!
www.google.com/help/features.html
tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts
Ask Jeeves Smart Search
static.wc.ask.com/docs/
announcements/searchsmarter.html
Airline flight
tracking info
Airport info
• Flight status
• Type [airline] [ flight number]
• Flight status
• Type [airline] [ flight number]
• In Smart Results
• Delays, weather conditions, etc.
• Type [airport code or city] airport
• Delays, weather conditions, etc.
• Type [airport code or city] airport
• No equivalent
Area codes
• US area code defined by maps
• Type [3-digit code]
• Type math problem in search box:
Ex.: 5+2*2 2^20 sqrt(-4)
• Type problem in search box:
Ex.: half a quart in teaspoons
Ex.: 15 pounds * 2 miles in calories
• Type define [your words] (finds
definitions in web sources)
• Type define:[your words] (finds web
pages about your word)
• Search for your term (quotes o.k.)
click in blue bar in results (entries
from several dictionaries)
• Use first two Definitions functions
(above). Often from encyclopedias.
• US street maps
• Type [address]
• Stock reports and headlines
• Type [one or more NYSE, AMEX.
NASDAQ, or mutual fund codes]
• Use third Definitions function (above)
• Click Translate this page in results
• Cities where used or code for city
• No equivalent
• Type area code [city] or 3-digit code
• Enter problem in search box
• Smart Results (in Search smarter)
Less sophisticated than Google's
Less sophisticated than Google's
• Standard conversions
• In Conversions
• Type convent [amount] to [amount]
Calculator
Conversion of
weights &
measures
Definitions
Encyclopedia
lookup
Maps &
directions
Stock info
Synonyms
Translation
• Type define [word]
• Many dictionaries, encyclopedias,
and other teaching tools at:
education.yahoo.com/reference
• In Dictionary Search
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• No equivalent
Type [topic] facts
Columbia Encyclopedia results
US street maps
Type [address] or map [location]
Price, intraday chart, news headlines
Type quote [ticker symbol]
• Type synonym [word]
• Click Translate this page in results
• No equivalent
• In Stock Search
• In Dictionary Search
• No equivalent
Googling to the Max, Teaching Library, UC Berkeley, 2004-2005. Adapted from materials developed by Joe Barker for "Extreme Googling," an Infopeople
Workshop. The Infopeople Project [infopeople.org] is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and
Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.
GOOGLE FEATURES & SHORTCUTS WITH COMPARABLE EQUIVALENTS
Google
Yahoo!
www.google.com/help/features.html
tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts
Yellow pages
Zip codes
static.wc.ask.com/docs/
announcements/searchsmarter.html
• Type or paste [text or URL] at
• Type or paste [text or URL] at
• Type rphonebook: [name]
[address]
• Type bphonebook: [name]
[address]
• US zip code defined by maps
• Type [zip code]
• People search for phone numbers or • White pages
email at search.yahoo.com
• Yellow Pages at search.yahoo.com • No equivalent
www.google.com/language_tools
White pages
Ask Jeeves Smart Search
tools.search.yahoo.com/language
• Type zip code [city]
• In Smart Results
STANDARD NUMBER LOOKUPS
Google
FAA Aircraft
registration
• Who owns
• Type [the number]
FCC equipment
IDs
Parcel tracking
numbers
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Patents
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UPC codes
VIN (vehicles)
Yahoo!
• Who owns
• Type [the number]
• No equivalent
Ask Jeeves Smart Search
• No equivalent
Who owns
Type fcc [number incl. punctuation]
• UPS: Type [the number]
UPS, FedEx, USPS
• FedEx: Type fedex [number]
Type [the number]
• USPS: Type usps [number]
• US Patent lookup
US Patent lookup
• Type patent [number]
Type patent [number]
• Product identification
Product identification
• Type [the code]
Type [the code]
• Vehicle info, history
Vehicle info, history
• Type [the number]
Type [the number]
WEB PAGE LOOKUPS
Google
Page info:
Cache:
Similar pages
NOT AVAILABLE IN GOOGLE
Who links to
you?
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Yahoo!
Find Google cached copy, links:
Type info: [URL] (no http://)
Find cached copy of a page
Click Cached or type cache: [URL]
Finds pages somehow related
Type related: [URL]
Find pages that link to a page
Type link:URL (http:// not needed)
Cannot be mixed with other terms or
syntax
Ask Jeeves Smart Search
• No equivalent
• No equivalent
• Find cached copy of a page
• Click Cached link
• No equivalent
• No equivalent
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Find pages that link to a page (mixable)
Type link:URL (include http://)
Find pages linking to a domain (mixable)
Type linkdomain:domain.to.first/
• In Related Search
• Finds interesting related pages
• No equivalent
MORE SHORTCUTS AND LOOKUPS
Yahoo!
• Book price finder
• Type [ISBN]
• Exchange rates
• Gas prices
• Hotel finder
• Type convert [currency] to [currency]
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Movie showtimes
Sports scores
Time zones
Traffic reports
• Weather
• Type gas [zip code]
• Type [city] hotels
Ask Jeeves Smart Search
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Famous people
Movie search
Weather
Wedding registries
Type showtimes [zip code]
Type [team] scores
Type time in [city]
Type [city] traffic
• Type [city] weather
Extreme Googling Summer/Fall 2004 - This material has been created by Joe Barker for the Infopeople Project [infopeople.org], supported by the U.S. Institute of
Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. Any use of this material
should credit the author and funding source.