The Invisible Web: Uncovering Information Sources Search Engines Can't See

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Enormous expanses of the Internet are unreachable with standard web search engines. This book provides the key to finding these hidden resources by identifying how to uncover and use invisible web resources. Mapping the invisible Web, when and how to use it, assessing the validity of the information, and the future of Web searching are topics covered in detail. Only 16 percent of Net-based information can be located using a general search engine. The other 84 percent is what is referred to as the invisible Web—made up of information stored in databases. Unlike pages on the visible Web, information in databases is generally inaccessible to the software spiders and crawlers that compile search engine indexes. As Web technology improves, more and more information is being stored in databases that feed into dynamically generated Web pages. The tips provided in this resource will ensure that those databases are exposed and Net-based research will be conducted in the most thorough and effective manner.

402 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,2001

About the author

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Gary Price is a librarian, author, and an online information analyst based in suburban Washington, DC. He is the co-founder and co-editor of INFOdocket and FullTextReports.com and prior to that was founder/editor of ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for 10 years. He has worked for Blekko, Ask.com, and at Search Engine Watch where he was news editor. In 2001, Price was the co-author (with Chris Sherman) of the best-selling book The Invisible Web.


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April 17,2025
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"n  TO GO WHERE NO SEARCH ENGINE HAS GONE BEFORE ...n
"Most of the authoritative information accessible over the Internet is virtually invisible to search engines. The phenomenon has been called 'The Invisible Web,' and it's a major obstacle for anyone who searches online for decision-making i9nformation.

"Content-rich databases from universities, libraries, associations, businesses and government agencies are appearing on Web servers around the world, but the current generation of search engines (AltaVista, HotBot, and Google, for example) can tell you little or nothing about the valuable data they contain. As this trend skyrockets, the Invisible Web is expanding at a staggering rate -- a priceless treasure trove of information eluding online searchers.

"Discover the Invisible Web
"Authors Chris Sherman and Gary Price -- two of the world's leading Invisible Web experts -- are on a mission to save you time and aggravation, and help you succeed in your information quest. In this unique book, they introduce you to top sites and sources, and offer tips, techniques and analysis that will let you pull needles out of haystacks every time.

"If you use the Internet for research, start exploring the Invisible Web today -- and discover the vast universe of information search engines can't see."
~~back cover

I made it to page 82 but then ... it was so c9ompolicated, with all the different kinds of web crawlers and sites and databases ... And I realized: I'm not doing research any more, I'm just basically keeping some simple databases of my own, reading email, and writing on a social media site. So why do I need these top sites and sources? The answer is: I don't. So I've elect3ed to abandon the book and read something I'll enjoy more.
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