[thelist] Directory Sites

Paola Kathuria paola at limitless.co.uk
Wed Mar 28 09:16:11 CST 2001


Paul Fisher wrote:
> He wants to see some examples of such directory sites.  Of course there's
> Yell.com, but does anyone know of any other sites like this - in any
> industry or topic?

The Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/
Deja News had an interesting search form but it's sadly gone.

You're right, the search facilities on a company directory
will be what makes or breaks it as a resource.

I think it needs to offer various levels of search:

- (simple) on all pages, a single input box that searches
  all fields

- or (simple +) single input box accompanied by a pull-down
  box determining what field to be searched (default "anywhere
  in the directory")

- (full) for every field in the entry, allow a search (radio
  buttons to control whether or "and" or "or" - results listed
  in descending order of number of matches found.

- (mid-way) form with commonly-used fields (name, location,
  services)

- ability to refine search (search in the last results list)

- ability to return to the results list from an entry

- ability to go back or forward entries (as listed in the
  results list)

- ability to sort results by different fields

- ability to save searches (for redoing later)

- choose between short (a line per company) and summary results
  (name followed by a structured summary)

I have maintained a directory of UK Internet companies since
1992 but the web site version is probably an example of how
not to do it since it's badly in need of a complete overhaul.
It started off with 12 companies and now has over 1000.  It
went from a single file listing all companies to an alphabetical
list linking to a page for each company.  (It's not generated by
a database and search is via an old Excite search).  However,
the point of my mentioning it is that I don't think that the
alpha listing is useful as the main listing order.  By service
would be more useful (even if it means companies appearing under
multiple headings).

Also, I think it'd be useful to mark several entries so that
they can be printed as a single "page" (I've shopped around,
now I want a to-do list so that I can phone them all.)

The (inactive) submissions page links to other ISP directories.
http://www.limitless.co.uk/inetuk/add.html


Paola




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