Hints for using directories . The basic difference between directories and search engines is that directories are subject listings that have been compiled by humans and usually ranked or evaluated in some way, while search engines use special computer programs called spiders or robots to search web pages and index what they find into gigantic databases. Directories, therefore, have a distinct human touch and logical organizing structure, while search engines return huge numbers of hits, hopefully with the most relevant and helpful listed first. In point of fact, the distinction between directories and search engines is beginning to blur. Whether you should use a search engine or a directory is largely determined by the nature of your search.
Internet directories are best suited to browsing.
You might compare an Internet directory to using the yellow pages from the Houston phone book. Depending on your preferences, you could choose a subcategory and look under the specific ads listed there before you settle on a number to call. Search engines are the tool of choice if you have a specific topic already in mind. To use our phone book analogy, if you know you want to find the number of Joe's Auto Boutique, you would be better off going to the white pages and searching for that number in the alphabetical listing. If you wanted to see if Joe's Auto Boutique has a web page, you could find out much more quickly with a search engine than with a directory.