What is a Search Aggregator and Why Should I Use it?

[Nic]

https://www.juicer.io/blog/what-is-a-search-aggregator-and-why-should-i-use-it


What Is the Difference Between a Search Aggregator and a Metasearch
Engine?

Sometimes the terms search engine aggregator and metasearch engine are
used interchangeably, which is understandable because they are similar
in many ways. In fact, a search aggregator is actually a specific type
of metasearch engine, which gathers results from multiple search engines
simultaneously usually using RSS search results.

According to Wikipedia
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_aggregator>, search aggregators
are an increasingly popular way to take advantage of the power of
multiple search engines with a flexibility not seen in traditional
metasearch engines. To the end-user, a search aggregator may appear to
be just a customizable search engine and the use of RSS may be
completely hidden. However, the presence of RSS is directly responsible
for the existence of search aggregators and a critical component in the
behind-the-scenes technology.


What Search Aggregators and Metasearch Engines Are Out There?

While many search aggregators and metasearch engines have either become
bankrupt under the crushing weight of Google or were brought up by
Google (or one of its many competitors), there are still plenty of
uniquely wonderful search aggregators and metasearch engines out there.


23 Metasearch Engines & Search Engine Aggregators and When to Use Them

As we’ve mentioned before, a metasearch engine is a pre-programmed
search engine aggregator with a specific function in mind for the search
results from multiple search engines. Because these search aggregators
are designed with a particular benefit in mind, they are each beneficial
for different situations.

[Mike Easter]

Nic wrote:
> What Is the Difference Between a Search Aggregator and a Metasearch
> Engine?

Many (many) years ago, when I was learning how to search, I used to use
Dogpile, which began operation in '96.

> It originally provided web searches from Yahoo! (directory), Lycos
> (inc. A2Z directory), Excite (inc. Excite Guide directory),
> WebCrawler, Infoseek, AltaVista, HotBot, WhatUseek (directory), and
> World Wide Web Worm.

It's a metasearch engine.

Dogpile was involved in some big$$ acquisitions in the dotcom era, but
its value has since declined.

> In August 1999, Dogpile was acquired by Go2net,[8] who were already operating MetaCrawler.[9] Go2net was then acquired by InfoSpace in July 2000 for $4 billion.

Its wp article also has some interesting stats about the great disparity
between the results of the various general search tools which you might
say bear no resemblance to each other.

--
Mike Easter

[Nic]

Do you know of any that are independent of the browser? Some software
that is locally operated and searches the web without having to open a
browser. There used to be such a program, but I can't remember the name.