Search Engine Toolbar
Search Engine Toolbar
A search engine toolbar is used to help make website searching more convenient. Instead of visiting the home page of every major search engine you are able to just type in the space of whatever toolbars you have downloaded unto your computer.
Some of the most popular types of toolbars include the Google, Yahoo, MSN, or Dogpile Toolbar. Google is considered to date the most popular of all search engines. Yahoo and MSN receive quite a bit of traffic as well. Dogpile is a site that compiles all major search engines into one, and even some smaller ever-growing search engines.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Search Engine Toolbars Explained
The use of a toolbar not only eliminates the need for Internet surfers and researchers to visit every single search engine home page, but it also makes searching much faster. Searching this way is generally done in one step and not two.
Furthermore, most operating systems support search engine toolbar software, and they are compatible very much with IE, usually the most current version.
Other toolbars used for searching are compatible with new browsers, which some people consider to be much better. For instance, many people like using the Mozilla Firefox browser because it contains less (or eve no) spy ware. (Speaking of spy ware that is one of the major disadvantages of using toolbars for searching, which you can read more about later).
Most of the major toolbars that people use-as well as most of the small ones-contains some level of spy ware or tracking devices to monitor your searching. Usually this is not done for malicious reasons, and most of the tracking software (commonly called “cookies”) is not harmful to your computer. It is just there to keep track of what time and when visitors go to certain places on the Internet.
However, you sometimes still need to be very careful. See the next section for more information.
Very Important Warning about Search Engine Toolbars
Never download any toolbar from a source you do not trust! If you do you could end up with a very hard-to-remove virus. Again, most companies do not mean harm, but watch out for the few that do. They plant viruses on computers in order to steal those people’s identities (i.e. social security card, credit card number or checking account information). Always be very careful.
Note that you can also benefit from the use of e-mail client toolbars and individual site toolbars. However, never assume that you are the only computer user who is completely invincible-no matter how many firewalls or update virus-killing software you have. Not to make you paranoid, but you should be very careful and take as few chances as possible.
You can find lists of sites to avoid all across the web. Never download anything you find on one of these blacklisted sites or search engines. The only exception is if you have reason to believe otherwise that it is okay.
For instance, there is controversy whether or not it is safe to use certain instant messaging programs-even Yahoo. Some people swear by it-and have used it with very much success, and other people refuse to use Yahoo at all. In the end you just have to use your own best judgment.
