A web directory can be defined as search services in which websites or webpages are listed in different subjectwise categories and subcategories and reviwed and complied by humans. What is Web directoryA web directory: - has a pre-defined list of websites - is compiled by human editors - is categorised according to subject/topic - is selective Internet directories don't use software programs. They are compiled by humans who organize web sites by subject into categories. If you submit your web site to an Internet directory, your web site will be visited by real people who can decide whether they include your web site or not. The most popular directories are Yahoo and Open Directory Project. Consider using the Directory instead of Google's web search whenever you want to: Because humans compile web directories, a qualitative decision concerning the content on each listed website has already been made. Consequently web directories are popular with Internet users looking for particular information because they feel that they have a head start in identifying 'the best of the web' for the topic that they're interested in. In using a web directory the user can navigate through the listings or search across the entire directory. The major web directories also license search engine indexes to provide secondary results for whenever their human-compiled directory fails to produce matching results to the user's query. For example, the world's largest web directory, Yahoo!, licences the Inktomi search index for just this purpose. As a result of the manual compilation process, web sites that have been indexed by web directories will remain listed within that directory, unless, in the highly unlikely event, they are manually removed. This 'permanence of presence' is not guaranteed with a listing within a search engine index, thus making a listing within a popular web directory such as Yahoo! highly desirable. Broadly speaking, any web site that is comprised of several pages of organised links can be considered a web directory. Many individuals, whether experts in their field or those passionate about a particular subject, have compiled such sites. One such voluntary web directory which has exploded to global status, becoming a real rival to world-leader Yahoo!, is the Open Directory. Business Researcher's Interests is a web directory of specific relevance to information professionals. http://www.davidgreen.me.uk/oirapr00sec2.htmla search service that arranges the web pages it knows about into categories and subcategories. Often picked by human beings for inclusion in the categories. www.jegsworks.com/Lessons/web/reference/glossary.htm a web-based program which uses catagories to classify web-sites to aid users in web surfing An Internet search tool that searches for information by subject categories. People create web directories, so they only include information that a real person inputs into them. If you have a very broad or generic search, it is better to start with a web directory rather then a search engine. Yahoo! is a popular web directory. This page contains links to both personal and business home pages residing on a up.net server. A hierarchical tree structures of hyperlinks by subjects on a web directory site. a database of Web sites that have been classified into categories www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/curr_content/onlineteach/op/resources/glossary.htm |