• Some search engines require more than one field. The Search Broker automatically enters default values in many non-essential fields, and handles the rest by using straightforward syntax to separate the fields. For example, in the query

  	fly salt lake city to seattle
  

  the word "to" is used to separate the two necessary fields, departure city and arrival city. The source form requires you to fill many more details, such as time of flight, day, month, and airline of choice. Since most of the time you just need the schedule, we set those to be a week from today, and allow you to ask the very simple question above. If you need to be more specific, just follow the link to the original form. In addresses, a comma is used to separate city and state, and a semi-colon (;) is used to separate street addresses:

  	5000 Speedway Ave ; Tucson,AZ
  

  Often just a space will do (e.g., "fly dfw jfk"). We try to allow as many different possibilities for the same query. The exact syntax is specified in the information about each subject, but in over 90% of the subjects a list of keywords is sufficient.

• It is also possible to search several subjects at the same time by choosing that option below the search box. The same query will be sent to all the subjects that are considered related to the subject of the query. This may take a while.

• When you use a subject for the first time, check the information about it, pick up the shortcut of your choice (or use the Feedback Form to suggest a better one), and try a couple of examples (we provide at least one).

• If simple keywords are not sufficient and you need more structured search, follow the link to the search engine's home page--it may provide the extra features you need.

• If the search takes too long, feel free to try other subjects or just search the whole web. But don't be too impatient. Following 20 fast links for 10 seconds each is still much slower than following one 30-second link. (And in those 30 seconds you could do something productive on other windows, such as downloading the new Dilbert.) Delays can be caused anywhere and everywhere. It is not unusual for a single web request to go through 20 different machines, believe it or not, and it still works pretty well most of the time!

The Search Broker was conceived and developed by Udi Manber and Peter A. Bigot at the Department of Computer Science of the University of Arizona.
Copyright © 1997, Arizona Board of Regents

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