Search .mac pages


Adding something new to the blog tonight. I put a form in the side column that will allow you to choose to search the World Wide Web using google or you can search .mac pages using google. You can also just search this blog as well, thanks to freefind.com

There has yet to be a resource that really allows you to search through all .mac homepages. The web site dotmac.info makes a valiant effort at providing a resource to find what people are doing with their .mac homepages. But it still lacks some punch only because it is a volunteer system. They can only catalog pages that have been submitted by its users, such as myself. While their database has grown by leaps and bounds from the early days of the project, it still relies on people submitting their info. What we've all been looking for is a way to scroll through all the .mac pages, user by user. But since Apple isn't going to give us that list anytime soon, the next best way would to be able to search .mac pages using the google search engine. Well, that process has been greatly simplified, thanks to the .mac user who goes by Madrabbit. This user has even created a simple form that allows you to choose between searching the World Wide Web, or the .mac homepages using google.


While I like what the user has done, for my blog page it just doesn't quite meet my style and space limitations. So, I played with the source code a tad and made something a little more useful for me. I removed the surrounding graphics and background and narrowed the field. I have decided for the sake of balance I am putting it on the left column for the main page. On all other pages in the blog I am placing it in the right column.

If you would like to use the code as well, I have included it below in the form that I use it for this page.


<center>You can search all .mac pages <br> or the WWW with this form. <p>
<form method=GET action=http://www.google.com/custom>

<input TYPE=text name=q size=25 maxlength=255 value="">
<input type=submit name=sa VALUE="Google Search">
<input type=hidden name=num VALUE="50">
<input type=hidden name=domains value="homepage.mac.com"><br><input type=radio name=sitesearch value=""> Search WWW
<br>
<input type=radio name=sitesearch value="homepage.mac.com" checked>homepage.mac.com <br>
</form>
</center>


Also using the site freefind.com you can search the contents of just this specific blog, although I'm not sure why you would need to. Maybe down the road when it's much bigger and supremely famous world wide..... sigh.... nevermind. You can just use it for your own personal amusement I guess.

Posted: Sun - April 18, 2004 at 03:53 AM   | | Email Me | |

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