HotBot uses an almost purely forms-driven interface to its search engine. A unique feature of HotBot is its ability to select a wide range to Internet media types to seek. Some these media types can be located in other services through the command line, but not all. HotBots browsable lists of Internet resources merely points to Wired's Cybrarian . While HotBot has a lot of features, feel a bit out of control when I am limited to only a forms interface.
All queries are from a simple command line.
Its collection of Internet resources looks just like everybody else's too. Like Yahoo, once you are browsing a particular subject area you can use the searching mechanisms to find resoruces from that area. The serivce's search features rely greatly on variations of phrase searching, but the service also has a reputation of locating more hits than the other services. As evidenced by a visit to its home page, Lycos is becoming more and more like commercial serivce offering more than simple Internet searching and advertisements. Obviously, this service is thinking the bigger picture and is quickly leaving academia behind.