Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
Founder & Editor-in-Chief - Christian Computing Magazine
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(http://www.yellowpages.com),<br />
Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.<br />
org), and others. Power searchers<br />
will want to exploit Exalead’s<br />
advanced search features; these<br />
<strong>in</strong>clude phonetic search<strong>in</strong>g,<br />
approximate spell<strong>in</strong>g, and date<br />
limiters. When users execute a<br />
search, they’ll see thumbnail image<br />
results (i.e., previews) along<br />
with a plethora of options to ref<strong>in</strong>e<br />
their search by site type (e.g.,<br />
blog, forum), media (e.g., audio,<br />
video), and other possibilities. To<br />
take full advantage of Exalead’s<br />
features, customizations, and<br />
personalizations, users may want<br />
to consider a free registration.<br />
Registered users can participate<br />
<strong>in</strong> Exalead’s feedback forums.<br />
Exalead also provides a desktop<br />
search client (http://www.exalead.<br />
com/download/exaleadDesktop)<br />
that combs emails and hard drive<br />
files. What’s more, Exalead has<br />
developed a toolbar for Microsoft<br />
Internet Explorer (http://<br />
www.exalead.com/download/<br />
<strong>in</strong>ternetExplorerToolbar). Users<br />
and fans can stay <strong>in</strong>formed about<br />
Exalead by read<strong>in</strong>g the official<br />
Exalead blog (http://blog.exalead.<br />
com/).<br />
Next is a specialized, vertical<br />
tool: ZabaSearch (http://www.<br />
zabasearch.com); it has dom<strong>in</strong>ated<br />
people search s<strong>in</strong>ce 2005. Specifically,<br />
this site <strong>in</strong>dexes United<br />
States residents and <strong>in</strong>cludes their<br />
first and last names, birthdates . .<br />
. as well as current and previous<br />
addresses. Users can search by<br />
telephone number (i.e., perform<br />
a reverse directory search) <strong>in</strong> addition to Social Security Number. Individuals can sign up to receive alerts when<br />
their own name is searched by others on ZabaSearch. Those concerned about their personal privacy can opt out,<br />
too. Unfortunately, this service costs $20. No doubt ZabaSearch quickly has become the darl<strong>in</strong>g of public records<br />
researchers, class reunion organizers, and, unfortunately, stalkers. (This writer was able to f<strong>in</strong>d himself <strong>in</strong> ZabaSearch<br />
at an address that he resided <strong>in</strong> another state more than a decade ago.) ZabaSearch even <strong>in</strong>cludes a list of the<br />
top 25 names searched (http://www.zabasearch.com/topsearches/), which <strong>in</strong>cludes celebrities such as Brad Pitt and<br />
Paris Hilton - - not to mention Average Joes and Pla<strong>in</strong> Janes.<br />
Mov<strong>in</strong>g along . . .. S<strong>in</strong>ce 2002, Gigablast (http://www.gigablast.com) has provided a clean, simple <strong>in</strong>terface<br />
and the follow<strong>in</strong>g databases: Web, Images, Video, and Directory. The Directory, by the way, is none other than the<br />
venerable Open Directory Project (http://www.dmoz.org). The Advanced search allows for enabl<strong>in</strong>g and disabl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>Christian</strong> Comput<strong>in</strong>g® Magaz<strong>in</strong>e<br />
August 2008 32
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