3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good value, June 9, 1997
By A Customer
This review is from: The AltaVista Search Revolution: How to Find Anything on the Internet (Paperback)
Let me say upfront that Alta Vista is my #1 search engine, and part of the reason I purchased this book was to become a better searcher. But the real reason was to optimize the chances of my web site getting Alta Vista hits. The book helped me on both counts--especially pointing out the need for Meta tags in the HTML header (but you won't find meta tags in the index). The development of Alta Vista by Digital makes for good reading, as well as the appendices on search word frequencies. The low point of the book is Ch. 6--106 pages of search examples that are not very interesting. I wish the book had been written with a bit more technical detail and much less filler. Given the book's low price, I would still rate it a good value
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How to make AltaVista search YOUR way., December 27, 1996
By A Customer
This review is from: The AltaVista Search Revolution: How to Find Anything on the Internet (Paperback)
Of course, the AltaVista site itslf has a help page which
tells how to use its many features to best advantage.
But help pages are typically terse, and most people find
them unfriendly. You really can't study a subject
comfortably or at odd times from a computer screen.
Enter this book, "The AltaVista Search Revolution: How to
Find Anything on the Internet." It thoroughly explains
the ins and outs of using AltaVista, with practical advice
and real-world examples.
Starting with the basics, it tells you how to get to
AltaVista through your web browser. It shows the
AltaVista home page, and explains its various parts.
Then you're guided through the process of making a simple
search, and refining your search with the various tools
available in AltaVista. Good examples are shown for each
step of the way.
The next chapter covers the so-called advanced search,
which allows even further narrowing of searching
parameters. Again, you're shown the page that launches
the advanced search, its parts, and well-chosen examples
of how to use it. Extensive Tips and Notes keep the text
interesting and lively. It's clearly explained under
what conditions you'd want to do a simple search, and
when an advanced search.
A further chapter goes over the same ground, but for
searching newsgroups instead of web pages. Both simple
and advanced newsgroup searches are covered.
Finally, one chapter explains how AltaVista actually
searches and lists found web pages and newsgroups.
This information is useful for webmasters (people who
create the web pages) who'd like their pages to be found
or listed in specific ways.
That detailed information about AltaVista takes up about
half the book. The remaining half is devoted to an
entertaining "A to Z Reference," listing by letter some
typical sample searches, refinements, and tips on how to
search for a multitude of topics on the Worldwide Web.
Starting with "acquaintances", and going through "baseball
cards", "canine", "dance", etc. to "zoo", you're led on a
wild and eclectic tour of the amazing diversity of
material available on the web.
Conclusion
AltaVista is one of the most far-reaching information
retrieval tools ever made available to the general public.
The AltaVista Search Revolution explains in clear and
simple language, and in an open, lively style, how to
perform accurate, efficient, effective, and fruitful
searches using AltaVista.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Search Engines: EXPLAINED!, September 9, 2007
This review is from: The AltaVista Search Revolution: How to Find Anything on the Internet (Paperback)
Recently a friend at work told me about these so-called "search engines" on "The Internet." At first I scoffed: "What do I need a search engine for? I never had to search for an engine and I'm most certainly not an engineer." But I decided to have a look-see anyway because, well, I've always been the adventurous type.
Incredibly, there were several hundred copies of The Altavista Search Revolution available for one cent on Amazon (it's a book seller, not a river. I know, I was confused at first, too). The book is only ten years old; could the Internet have changed that much since then? Yeah right..
Anyway, I carefully placed my penny into an envelope, drove to my post office and mailed it. After about seven and a half weeks, the book arrived. I read it cover-to-cover, studying the colorful pictures and complex diagrams, before making any attempt to operate this Altavista.
Now let me tell you something: This book is worth every bit of that penny.
Without giving too much away, Altavista is this nifty computer gizmo that allows you to type in what you are looking for, such as "giraffe food," or "janitorial supplies." Immediately, as if by miracle, a list pops up on your screen that shows you where to find giraffe food or janitorial supplies on the World Wide Web (That's what the "www" stands for by the way, and yes, I learned it in the book).
A word of caution: When using Altavista, be careful where you click. I now have a house and garage filled with giraffe food and janitorial supplies. Please contact me if you need either of these items. Thank you very much.
---- Ed Kaz
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