Subject: ANNOUNCE: WWW::Search 1.007 available (web-search-engine API for Perl)
From: [email-masked] (John Heidemann)
Date: 21 Dec 1996 14:53:00 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.lang.perl.announce,comp.lang.perl.misc

WWW::Search and AutoSearch
==========================

WHAT IS NEW WITH WWW::Search 1.007?
-----------------------------------

- new: back-ends for Dejanews (from Cesare Feroldi de Rosa),
	Infoseek (also from Cesare Feroldi de Rosa),
	and Excite (from GLen Pringle)
- new: more fields in SearchResult (score, dates, etc., see the man page)
	(problem found by Cesare Feroldi de Rosa)
- new: better error handling on network failures
	(AutoSearch should report errors on its pages,
	$search->response() provides an API for error reporting)
- new (internal):  user_agent handling has changed
- new:  proxy support added to WWW::Search (still needed in applications)
	(problem and fix suggested by T. V. Raman)
- bug-fix: numerous documentation updates
	(problems found by Larry Virden)
- bug-fix: AltaVista web search was occasionally dropping hits
	(problem found by Larry Virden, fixed by Bill Scheding)
- bug-fix: all non-alphanumeric characters are now escaped
	(problem found by Larry Virden)

WHAT IS WWW::Search?
--------------------

WWW::Search is a collection of Perl modules which provide an API to
WWW search engines.  Currently WWW::Search includes back-ends for
variations of AltaVista, Dejanews, Excite, HotBot, Infoseek, and
Lycos.  We include two applications built from this library:
AutoSearch (an program to automate tracking of search results over
time), a small demonstration program to drive the library.
Back-ends for other search engines and more sophisticated clients are
currently under development.

WHAT IS AutoSearch?
-------------------

WWW::Search's primary client is AutoSearch.  AutoSearch performs a
web-based search and puts the results set in a web page.  It
periodically updates this web page, indicating how the search changes
over time.  Sample output from WWW::Search can be found at
<http://www.isi.edu/lsam/autosearch/>.  Output format is configurable.

See the man page for AutoSearch details, or Demonstration section
below for the quick-start instructions.

REQUIREMENTS
------------

WWW::Search requires Perl5 and libwww-perl.
For information on Perl5, see <http://www.perl.com>.
For libwww-perl, see <http://www.sn.no/libwww-perl/>.
Both are also available from the Comprehensive Perl Archive
Network (CPAN). Visit <http://www.perl.com/CPAN/> to find a CPAN
site near you.

At this time WWW::Search has been tested with Perl versions 5.002 and
5.003.

AVAILABILITY
------------

The latest version of WWW::Search should always be available from
<http://www.isi.edu/lsam/tools/WWW_SEARCH/>.

WWW::Search is also available as part of CPAN.  Visit
<http://www.perl.com/CPAN/> to find a CPAN site near you.

Feedback about WWW::Search is encouraged.  If you're using it for a
neat application, please let us know.  If you'd like to (or have)
implemented a new back-end for WWW::Search, let us know so we don't
duplicate work.