Web Wise: Shedding Light on the 'Dark Web'

Researchers at the Human Genome Project have developed a research-focused search engine that they claim Google, Microsoft and Yahoo can't reach - the "Deep Web" or "Dark Web."

DeepDyve (www.deepdyve.com) is a free search engine for registered users that can access databases, scholarly journals, unstructured information and other data on the Dark Web. According to its developers, DeepDyve indexes 500 million pages. Currently, they are expanding into the areas of information technology, clean technology and energy and plan to have more than 1 billion pages indexed by the end of 2009.

But finding the material is no easy task. To help users accomplish this, DeepDyve says it is partnering with publishers to gain access to content that is usually overlooked by other search engines, such as material hidden behind paywalls or content that is not linked to enough other sites to gain serious page ranking. The material may be deemed "obscure" to some search engines, but for serious researchers, it could be the Rosetta stone they are looking for.

Searching for data on DeepDyve is different than on other search engines. It uses the company's "KeyPhrases" technology - an algorithm that indexes passes up to 20 words in length, not just single key words. You can essentially copy an entire article into your query box to find relevant results.

The free version of DeepDyve is supported by ads; the "pro" version is a $45 per user/per month subscription.

ASA Web Ways: Join Us in Orlando!

The schedule of classes and activities for the 2009 ASA Annual Convention has been posted on the ASA Web site at www.ASAshop.org/annual09, which will be held April 30-May 2 at the Caribe Royale All-Suites Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Join us for open meetings of the ASA affiliate assembly and board of directors, as well as a state-of-the-association address by Ron Pyle, ASA president and chief staff executive. Meet your new chairman of the ASA board of directors, and cheer on the AMI class of 2009 at the Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony. See you in Orlando!