Re: REF: Iris-specific search engine

Laurie
A Google search for "irises" usually gets rid of the IRIS software and iridology sites 

Colleen Modra
Adelaide Hills
South Australia

colleen@impressiveirises.com.au
www.impressiveirises.com.au
----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurie Frazer" <lauriefr@localnet.com> 
To: <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2006 8:16 AM
Subject: [iris] REF: Iris-specific search engine



Hi Everybody,
I have been working on a project - a gift, really - for all iris enthusiasts (present company included). When I moved my Shadowood website to its new domain, my interest in developing more iris resources on the site was renewed. Then some website promotion newsletter arrived in my email box with news of a new custom web search available through Google.
"Hmm," thought I. "How cool would it be to have a search engine that searches ONLY iris-related websites so that I wouldn't have to slog through hundreds of thousands of completely unrelated search results that just happen to use the word "iris" within their pages?"
And so, I am in the process of developing Shadowood's Iris Search! This is a search engine that searches ONLY the sites and pages I designate. So far, I have added over 300 iris-related websites, forums, photo albums, mailing lists, etc. to the search index, including all of the sites linked on the AIS website links page, plus many sites linked on the sites linked on the AIS website links page! I am on a quest to find every single iris-related website on the internet to index into Shadowood's Iris Search. I want this to be THE one and only, comprehensive search engine that makes it easy for iris folks to find exactly what they need, quickly and efficiently.
I would be very appreciative if you all would help me by sending me URLs to iris-related material that isn't linked on the AIS links page, any of the Affiliate Society websites, or any of the Regional websites (I've already grabbed and indexed all links appearing on all of those sites). If you have a personal website with iris information or photos, an online photo album, or anything else iris-related that isn't linked on any of the sites I just listed, please send me the URL. I want to get ALL of your pages into Shadowood's Iris Search.
The Google Custom Search feature with which I have built my Iris Search isn't perfect, unfortunately. The biggest flaw is that it will only search sites that Google itself has indexed into its main index. To my great frustration, that means that Shadowood's Iris Search won't even search my own new site because Googlebot hasn't finished indexing it yet! ARGH! That also means that it won't search any sites I include in the Iris Search's index that Googlebot hasn't already indexed itself (or has rejected from inclusion in the Google index). If you do send me URLs to add to the Iris Search index, and subsequent search results don't include entries from those sites when you know they should, please blame it on Google and not me. I'll add all iris sites to my Iris Search index, but whether or not Google will actually search them is up to Google.
Please also bear in mind that Shadowood's Iris Search is a work in progress. I have MUCH left to do in terms of specifying labels for particular websites, adding more websites, and such. Don't despair. I'll try to get it finished before I die of old age.
In any event, I am hopeful that Shadowood's Iris Search will facilitate finding that special iris for which you've been searching, or locating information on the correct way to plant Siberian irises or even how to go about creating that elusive red iris.
Give it a try and see how it works for you. If you have any suggestions, problems, or ideas for improving Shadowood's Iris Search, please don't hesitate to let me know. You can find the search on the entry page to my iris pages at: 

http://lfrazer.com/iris/index.html

Enjoy, and HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!!!

Laurie
---------------
lauriefr@localnet.com
http://www.geocities.com/lfandjg
http://lfrazer.com/iris/index.html
USDA zone 3b, AHS zone 4 - northern Minnesota
normal annual precipitation 26-27"
slightly acid, potassium deficient, clay soil

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