Issue 6

Access to all regular articles. This page is intended for printing purposes. Note that the internal links to references will not work correctly.

Etc Articles

Software in Use: Submitting to Search Engines Using "Scrub The Web"

In this regular column we review software which is used by the Exploit Interactive project team. In this issue we report on an externally-hosted web service called "Scrub The Web" which provides an "Easy Submit!" service which we use to submit new issues of Exploit Interactive to popular search engines.

Background

The EXPLOIT project aims to support Telematics For Libraries projects by helping the projects in their dissemination and in exploiting their deliverables. Exploit Interactive has an important role in publishing articles about the projects. It is important that the articles can be easily found and are widely read. A number of approaches to publicising articles published in Exploit Interactive are taken, including publicity on mailing lists, a email-based notification service, participation in conferences and other events, etc. In addition we try to ensure that articles can be found by users of search engines by submitting URLs to popular search engines. A number of tools which can be used to assist this process have been investigated. In this article we review the "Scrub The Web Web-based service.

Submission Software

A number of packages for submitting pages from Web sites to search engines are available as can be seen from the lists at Yahoo! [1] and the Web Developer's Virtual Library [2]. As mentioned previously in Exploit Interactive [3] submission programs which are available include NetSubmitter [4], RegisterPro [5], Engenius [6], the Exploit Submission Wizard [7] and WebPosition [8]. Evaluation copies of many submission programs can be obtained on CDROMs distributed with Internet and Web magazines.

There may be some reservations that people may have over the use of Web submission software:

• Use of licensed software will normally be restricted to a single PC, and this may make use difficult for a large Web site or if staff have shared responsibilities.
• There will be yet another desktop application to install, support and maintain.
• There may be licensing costs.
• The benefits of such software may not be proven.

In addition to the submission programs there are a number of web-based submission services available including Broadcaster [8] and Submit-it [9]. Since the release of issue 4 in January 2000 we have made use of a service hosted by Scrub The Web called Easy Submit! [10]. A summary of our experiences follows.

Scrub The Web's Easy Submit! Service

The entry point for Scrub The Web's Easy Submit! submission service is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Scrub The Web Submission Service

After entering your personal details (name and postal and email address) and details of the Web site you can then select the search engines you wish the resource to be submitted to, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Using Scrub The Web's Submission Service

After selecting the search engines, a new browser window is created. The window contains two frames: one contains Scrub The Web's control information while the other contains the submission page for the current search engine, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Scrub The Web's Submission to Excite

Since some search engines may require additional information (such as the category for the Web site or its geographical location) user input into the bottom frame may occasionally be required. Otherwise you need to give input in the top frame in order to progress to the next submission.

Review

As should be apparent from the summary, the service is easy to use. It works by providing a semi-automated interface to the submission pages for a variety of search engines. Since the service works an a user interface level, it is dependent on the consistency of the interface provided by the search engines. It may occasionally stop working for particular search engines if they change their interface.

The main caveat that should be mentioned is the possible danger of receiving excessive email spam messages. Following initial use of the service in February 2000 no fewer than 253 messages were received in the following 2 weeks. Although some were confirmations of the submissions, many were advertisements. A number of the search engines have policies which state that submission of a resource entitles them to send you email advertisements. Although the email blitz seems to tail off after a few weeks, we now use a backup email account, so that the influx of messages isn't too distracting.

As with all submission programs and services there is always a question mark as to whether they have a significant effect. It is always possible that the entries into, say, AltaVista's index would have happened in any case in AltaVista's next trawl of the Web site. For a Web magazine, however, the advantage is likely to be in ensuring that pages are indexed on or shortly after the publication date.

Conclusions

Scrub The Web's Easy Submit! service is free and easy-to-use. It sometimes breaks and there is a danger of spam (which can be avoided). We will probably continue to use it until we find something better.

References

1. Home > Business and Economy > Business to Business > Marketing and Advertising > Internet > Promotion, Yahoo!
   URL: <http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Business_to_Business/Marketing_and_Advertising/Internet/Promotion/>
2. WDVL: Promotion Services, Web Developer's Virtual Library
   URL: <http://www.stars.com/Location/Promotion/Services.html>
3. Promoting Your Project Web Site, Exploit Interactive issue 4, January 2000
   URL: <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue4/promotion/>
4. Net Submitter Professional,
   URL: <http://www.netsubmitter.com/>
5. Register Pro,
   URL: <http://www.registerpro.com/>
6. Engenius,
   URL: <http://www.pegasoweb.com/engenius/>
7. Exploit Submission Wizard,
   URL: <http://www.exploit.com/wizard/>
8. WebPosition Gold,
   URL: <http://www.webposition.com/>
9. Broadcaster Website Promotion, Broadcaster
   URL: <http://www.broadcaster.co.uk/>>
10. Submit it!: Web Site Promotion and Marketing, Submit it!
    URL: <http://www.submit-it.com/>
11. Scrub The Web,
    URL: <http://www.scrubtheweb.com/>

Author Details

Brian Kelly
UK Web Focus
UKOLN
University of Bath
Bath
England
BA2 7AY

URL: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk>
Email: b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk

For citation purposes:
Brian Kelly, "Software in Use: Submitting to Search Engines Using 'Scrub The Web'", Exploit Interactive, issue 6, 26th June 2000
URL: <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue6/software-used/>

Search Facilities Used By Telematics For Library Projects

In this review of Telematics For Library Project Web sites Brian Kelly reports on the search facilities provided by the project Web sites.

Background

Many of the Telematics For Library Projects should now have mature Web sites which provide valuable services, reports, etc. to their user communities. It will be of interest to new and programmes projects to review the approaches to the provision of search facilities provided by the projects.

Methodology

A survey of the Telematics For Libraries projects (as listed at [1]) was carried out on 13-14 th June 2000. Links to a search facility from the home page (or in a small number of cases from a likely page which was linked from the home page) were looked for. If a search facility was found, the URL and name of the page were recorded and, if possible, a search box was included in the summary. The details are available in Appendix 1.

Discussion

A summary of the findings is given in Table 1.

The findings are very interesting. They show that a very low percentage of project Web sites provide a search facility. For users to find resources on a project Web site they will be dependent on the site's navigational facilities.

Many of the projects listed have now finished (some up to 3 years ago). Projects may not have had the resources or technical expertise to install local search facilities. However it is now possible to make use of third party services which can index your Web site often, especially in the case of small Web sites, for free. New projects may find it useful to make use of services such as Atomz [2] or [3].

Appendix 1

References

1. Telematics for Libraries - Projects
   URL: <http://www.cordis.lu/libraries/en/projects.html>
2. Atomz.com Search Engine
   URL: <http://www.atomz.com/>
3. Free Search Engine, FreeFind
   URL: <http://www.freefind.com/>

Author Details

Brian Kelly
UK Web Focus
UKOLN
University of Bath
Bath
England
BA2 7AY

URL: <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk>
Email: b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk

Brian Kelly is UK Web Focus. He works for UKOLN, which is based at the University of Bath.

For citation purposes:
Brian Kelly, "Search Facilities On Telematics For Library Web Sites", Exploit Interactive, issue 6, 26th June 2000
URL: <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue6/search-facilities/>

Job Postings from around Europe: Projects, Networking, Libraries

Welcome to Exploit Interactive's Jobs Section. If your organisation has position openings for Telematics Projects, Networking, or Library related work, send details (as shown below) to exploit-jobs@ukoln.ac.uk

CALIM Support Officer

A Support Officer is required to work as part of a dedicated team within the CALIM Office, and with staff from the CALIM libraries and IT areas of the Institutions.

The consortium was set up to support and develop policies which enable its members to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of library services to their users. This is achieved through inter-institutional staff development, team, and project working. A Support Officer is required to work with CALIM management in planning, resourcing, developing and delivering new projects and initiatives, and with CALIM committees and groups to progress specified key tasks. It is expected that some tasks will combine out-sourcing, in-house development, and collaboration with other parties including suppliers and institutions outside CALIM

The successful candidate will possess a degree or equivalent qualification, will possess excellent communication and numeracy skills, and will be a self-starter with an adaptable and flexible approach to work.

Appointment for 2 years in the first instance, renewable annually. Salary: at the appropriate point on ALC1 (currently Stlg16,286 - £18,185 pay award pending) or possibly ALC2 (currently Stlg18,915 - £24,479 pay award pending) depending on qualifications and experience.

Further particulars and application form may be obtained from: The Personnel Division
Allerton Building
University of Salford
Salford, M6 6PU
Phone: 0161-295 2122 (24 hour answering service)
quoting Reference Number AIS/18

Or contact
John Blunden-Ellis CALIM/LAMDA Office
Manchester Metropolitan University
Minshull House, 47-49 Chorlton Street
Manchester M1 3EU
Phone: 0161-247 6673
Closing date: Monday 10th July 2000.

Collection Level Description Officer - Department of Library and Information Services

1 Year Fixed Term Appointment (in the first instance) Starting Salary £17,837 per annum.

An exciting new opportunity has arisen at the Natural History Museum for a Collection Level Description Officer within the Department of Library and Information Services.

The successful candidate will create a series of records describing whole collections held in the Museum. The role will involve development and maintenance of an MS Access database. Furthermore, you will assist the Webmaster in the creation and maintenance of metadata for the Natural History Museum's public web site.

You should have a degree or equivalent, preferably in a biological science, computer science or library and information science. Experience with databases, especially MS Access, with documentation systems and/or web page design and construction is desirable. Applicants need to have good analytical and descriptive written skills.

If you have questions regarding the call for application, kindly email: nhm@kads.co.uk
or Send a SAE to The Natural History Museum, c/o Kingsway, The Clove Garden, 4 Maguire Street, London, SE1 2NQ <http://www.nhm.ac.uk>
Closing date: Tuesday 11 July 2000.

Issue Home | Editorial | Features | Regular Columns | News and Events | Et cetera
Go to Top	A UKOLN Service. Contact Us. Copyright © 1999	Last Updated: 26 June 2000