|
|
|
 Why use a directory? A search directory is often useful for new web users because it is not as overwhelming as searching the millions of available web sites. Search directories are useful for users who have a general idea about what information they seek, and use these directories as a starting point. Directories are also nice when you would like to see a sampling of material available on your topic. You then have the option of taking the search further by browsing or "surfing" these categorized web sites. A web directory can be thought of as a tree with multiple branches. You first select a broad topic and then narrow it by "branching" off into more detailed categories. Yahoo, a search directory on the WWW, is the largest subject directory on the web. It is a database of web sites, which have been categorized according to subject. It contains a selective portion of the many millions of web sites on the Internet. It does NOT contain all web sites. Therefore, when you search Yahoo, you search only a portion of the material available on the web. Yahoo has a "terrace" rating system, which uses tags or icons to indicate which sites merit a visit, therefore saving the user time on the computer. Yahoo recommends that you check these sites first. Very short site descriptions are sometimes provided in Yahoo.When you use a search directory or web subject catalog like Yahoo, you start by going from a general topic to a more specific topic. The search has only begun when you get to the list of sites on your topic. You must still scroll through or browse the sites retrieved for you to find exact information. Yahoo and the other subject catalogs are most effective when your search approach is a general one leading to something specific.
|
