Practical 4 & 5 Reflection

2334 in the night


This practical is about identifying the different search facilities.

Search engine I used is Google, keywords are residential and architecture. URL: http://www.architectureweek.com/topics/home.html. (News) The size of hit is 4,690,000. The results shown contain many relevant results relating to residential architecture. The layout of web pages using repetitive primary colors such as blue and green. Blue for the homepage title, green for the URL and black for the summary of the web page. The presentation is very straightforward and clear, the results on the left and the features have a column of sponsored links on the right.

Meta search engine I used is DogPile, keywords are developments, residential and architecture. URL: http://trendsideas.com/Default.aspx?region=1. (Business/marketing) The size of hit is 64. The results shown contain almost all relevant website to the keywords, developments, residential, architecture. The web pages layout also used colours like light navy blue and green, blue for the results and green for the URL. Dogpile using cute graphic and their brand font is more kiddy fonts. The presentation is simple and clear cut. The feature is just a column on the right displaying recent searches.

Subject directory I used is Yahoo's directory, keywords developments and architecture. URL: http://www.mdm-corp.com/. (Business/marketing) The size of hit is 295. The results shown contain little relevant website. There is no relevant ranking. The layout of the website is simple, easy to read. The web pages layout also used colours like blue and green, blue for the results and green for the URL. For directory, they have a “relate directory categories” features.

Reflections

Through the practical of identifying the difference between search facilities, I realise that different search facilities give me different results and purposes. For general topic like architecture, it is good that I used meta search engine as it will narrow down to useful and very relevant website. I also learn that all 3 facilities shared the same webpage layout of using repetitive primary colors such as blue and green. Blue for the homepage title, and green for the URL. Subject directory is convenience to browse and most effective way. You can find your way through a hierarchy of topics. From this activity, I learn that the effectiveness of different search facilities. Eg, for familiar topic use a search engine or meta search engine and for unfamiliar topic, use a subject directory as it allows you to browse through relevant links. Their strength and weakness, what are the limitations. After knowing all these, I begin to know which facilities to use when I am doing my research in the future.



0028 in the early morning, another day had passed





Interior Architecture and Design
Year 2

"less is more"