DEBRIS.COMgood for a laugh, or possibly an aneurysm

In November of 2000 I created a list of the add-URL forms for what I considered to be the major, free, general-purpose search engines. I used those links frequently to submit websites for indexing.

I don’t do much website promotion any more, so I have not had any need to maintain my bookmarks. But today I revisited the list. I found that only three of the seven still offer free submissions. I was surprised — I know the web industry has been decimated, but it was still a shock to see it up close.

These still work: Alta-Vista, Northern Light, and Google.

Excite and Go now use Overture, aka GoTo.com, the “search engine” of paid placements. HotBot accepts no submissions. Lycos charges a fee. Inktomi charges a fee.

Missing in action: InfoSeek was part of Go.com, but Disney pulled the plug after Go.com lost $1 Billion (!).

Promising newcomers Teoma and WiseNut have succumbed to acquisition; AskJeeves purchased Teoma (which now charges a fee for sumbissions); LookSmart purchased WiseNut although WiseNut still offers free sumbissions. (I don’t expect that to last. LookSmart charges for directory submissions.)

I’m not simply lamenting the end of the free. Rather, I think it is hugely valuable and important to be able to search an archive of websites indexed by relevance, not by bid. It’s apparently possible for software (e.g. google’s PageRank) to intelligently find relevant content — and that’s what I want to see. I’d even pay for the privilege. Just don’t serve me advertising and call it “search results.”