Feature comparison of an in‐house information retrieval system with a commercial search service

Abstract

A commercially available online search service was used as a standard for comparative searching and evaluation of an in‐house information system based on automatic indexing. System features were identified and evaluated on the basis of their usefulness in various kinds of searching, their ease in implementation, and how they are influenced by differences in user type or specific applications. Some common features of the commercial system, such as online instruction, user‐specified print formats, dictionary display, and truncation, are seen to be unnecessary or impractical for the in‐house system. In designing the in‐house system, therefore, detailed consideration must be given to the applications, operating environment, and real user needs. While a commercial system can serve as a useful standard for comparative evaluation, one must be careful not to attempt to duplicate it blindly in‐house.