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
