Apparently the Northern Light Web search and information services has 
been getting some stick about reducing the number of results that it 
displays by default from 25 to 10 entries per screen. I have had an 
e-mail from Leslie Ray explaining why and outlining some new 
features.

-------------------------------
Karen Blakeman, UKOLUG Chair 
RBA Information Services, 
Tel: 0118 9472256, Fax: 0870 056 8547, Mobile: 0860 785716
E-Mail: [log in to unmask], http://www.rba.co.uk/

---- Forwarded Message ----
To: [log in to unmask]
From: Leslie Ray <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: (Fwd) northern light

> Thank you for taking the time to tell us how you feel about
> our new results list.  The reason for the change to 10 
> results is the need to adjust for a sudden increase in search
> traffic. Last week an article in Nature magazine identifying 
> Northern Light as having the most comprehensive Web search engine 
> was covered by the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street
> Journal, Boston Globe, CNN, and syndicated by AP to dozens of 
> metropolitan newspapers across the continent. As a result, our
> search volume tripled in one day as hundreds of thousands of
> new users tried Northern Light for the first time.
>
> In order to cope with the volume and maintain performance levels
> for our customers, we adjusted the results list down to 10 items. 
> The modified results list uses only 40% of the server capacity 
> required by the 25 item results list, and allows us to serve up 
> results at least as fast as before, if not faster.
>
> We have also just implemented "Embedded Folders" which I hope you 
> have noticed and like.  This feature groups all the citations from
> a site together, often presenting the second citation from a site 
> below the first citation, and giving you the option to open a 
> folder with all of the citations from that site on one page.  We
> are hoping our customers find this arrangement, in combination with 
> the increased speed and the Custom Search Folders, at least as 
> useful, hopefully more so, than the previous 25 citation results 
> page structure.
>
> Lastly, Northern Light is planning on implementing user preferences
> sometime later this year.  One of the preferences you will be able
> to set is the number of citations on your results pages.  You will 
> then be able to select 10, 20, 50, or 100 citations per results 
> page if you want to.
>
> We truly appreciate your support and feedback. Everyone at Northern 
> Lightis working very hard to make the service even better.
>
>Cordially,
>
>___________________________________________
>Leslie M. Ray
>Director, Partnership Marketing
>Northern Light Technology, LLC
>
>Tel. 617-577-2158, Fax. 617-577-7446
>E-mail. [log in to unmask]
>Northern Light - http://www.nlsearch.com
>1998 PC Magazine Editor's Choice


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