Its directory format makes subject search easy. Also offers specialized searches for timely news, stock quotes, classifieds, etc. Microsoft's search engine, powered by Inktomi, uses RealNames, Direct Hit, and its own editorially compiled directory listings. Lycos offers many features beyond searching the Web. Excite goes beyond keyword search and tries to understand underlying concepts.
Network is perhaps the best at handling plain-language queries.
It clusters results from a single site, offering suggestions for related topics. Search over 800,000 sites organized into more than 140,000 categories and reviewed by over 16,000 subject experts. Ask Jeeves a question using natural language, and you'll likely get an accurate answer from its database of more than 7 million questions, with links to what you're seeking. This Web directory with more than 18,000 subjects is rapidly rising in popularity according to Media Metrix and Relevant Knowledge usage ratings.