Uploaded October 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Let’s review everything that has to happen for you to perform a single internet search. First, all of the billions of web pages have to be found and processed. That processing has to prepare the search engine to reply to any possible search. Second, the relative importance of various pages has to be established. Search engines use many different factors to determine how to rank results, but at the most basic level some pages are better than others—more reputable or more useful. Finally, the search engine has to receive your search, locate all relevant pages, rank them, and return the results. Amazingly, this entire process happens in a fraction of a second.
Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).
Part of the internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production.
Let’s review everything that has to happen for you to perform a single internet search. First, all of the billions of web pages have to be found and processed. That processing has to prepare the search engine to reply to any possible search. Second, the relative importance of various pages has to be established. Search engines use many different factors to determine how to rank results, but at the most basic level some pages are better than others—more reputable or more useful. Finally, the search engine has to receive your search, locate all relevant pages, rank them, and return the results. Amazingly, this entire process happens in a fraction of a second.
Credits: Talking: Geoffrey Challen (Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo). Producing: Greg Bunyea (Undergraduate, Computer Science and Engineering, University at Buffalo).
Part of the internet-class.org online internet course. A blue Systems Research Group (https://blue.cse.buffalo.edu) production.
