MSN Directory/Search Engine: A Closer Look

And if before Google, you first knew MSN Search, then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that either.

MSN Search is the main search engine of the MSN directory/portal site. It is recognized, in its own right, as one of the major search engines on the Web. 

 Its look is clean and uncluttered. It combines simplicity with a variety of advanced features available under the Search Builder and Settings links.

SEARCHES IN:

Inktomi database for Web searches
LookSmart for directory searches

DEFAULTS TO:
AND

SEARCH OPTIONS:

Basic Search Page

• Supports (+) and (-) signs
• Supports double quotes (" ")
• Supports category searching (e.g., news, images, news, local, Encarta, stock quotes, movies, shopping and music) by clicking on hot links or using the drop-down menu

Search Builder Link

• Supports Boolean-type searches using drop-down menus for "all of these terms," "any of these terms,"  " this exact phrase," and " none of these terms. "
• Supports searching by domain (e.g., "com" or "edu")
• Allows searching for web pages that link to a specific site
• Provides customized personal preference settings (Results ranking") to search for pages "updated recently", "very popular", or those that are "approximate" or "exact" matches to the terms being searched

Settings Link

• Allows language, country, and regional settings and searches
• Provides adult filter
• Displays from 10 to 50 results per page
• Allows user to set personal location

OTHER SEARCH OPTIONS AND FEATURES:

• Provides information on URLs typed into search box
• Displays "Sponsored" links in pastel colored blocks before showing search results

Maintains a stop word list; will not search for stop words unless typed as part of a phrase within quotation marks or preceded by a (+) plus sign