The trick though, is understanding how they work, so you can use the right tool for the job. They group websites under similar categories, such as Internet tutorials, English universities and Paris museums. The results of your search will be a list of websites related to the subject you are searching for. If you are interested in locating the site for the Louvre museum, for instance, try using a directory. But let's say you want more specific information, such as biographical information about Leonardo da Vinci.
Web indexes are the way to go, because they search all the contents of a website.
Indexes use software programs called spiders or robots that scour the Internet, analyzing millions of web pages and newsgroup postings, indexing all of the words. Indexes like AltaVista and Lycos find individual pages of a website that match your search, even if the site itself has nothing to do with what you are looking for. You can often find unexpected gems of information this way, but be prepared to wade through a lot of irrelevant information too. This is a much more thorough way to locate what you want. Ask Jeeves-so you can see how they work and how you can develop an efficient search strategy.