Websites using Altavista

Okay, let s break down Altavista, covering its history, revenue (or lack thereof now), alternatives, pricing (again, not applicable in its current state), and what little customer care information exists.

Overview: AltaVista (A Fallen Giant)

• What it was: AltaVista was one of the earliest and most popular web search engines. Launched in 1995 by researchers at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), it quickly became known for its speed, comprehensive indexing of the web, and advanced search features (for the time). It allowed users to search for keywords within web pages and offered more sophisticated query options than many of its competitors. At its peak, it was the search engine for many internet users.
• Key Features (at its peak):
  • Large Index: Indexed a significant portion of the web.
  • Speed: Relatively fast search results.
  • Advanced Search Operators: Supported boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), proximity searches (NEAR), and other features to refine searches.
  • Translation Service: Offered a basic machine translation service.
  • Image Search: Included a basic image search function.
• Demise: AltaVista s decline was a combination of factors:
  • Acquisition Issues: It was acquired multiple times (Compaq, CMGI, Overture Services, Yahoo!). Each change in ownership led to different strategies and a loss of focus.
  • Failure to Innovate: While Google was developing PageRank and focusing on relevance, AltaVista didn t keep up with the evolving needs of users and the changing web landscape. It became cluttered with advertising and lost its speed advantage.
  • Google s Dominance: Google s superior search algorithm and user experience ultimately led to its dominance.
• Shutdown: Yahoo! officially shut down AltaVista on July 8, 2013. The domain now redirects to Yahoo! s search page.

Revenue:

• Past Revenue: In its active years (late 1990s and early 2000s), AltaVista generated revenue primarily through:
  • Advertising: Banner ads and sponsored listings were the main sources of income. As search became more competitive, the effectiveness of these ads likely diminished.
  • Partnerships: Deals with other websites and services.
• Current Revenue: AltaVista, as a distinct entity, no longer generates any revenue since it was shut down in 2013. Any revenue generated from users landing on the redirect page would go to Yahoo.

Alternatives:

Since AltaVista is defunct, here are current alternatives:

• Google: The dominant search engine. Known for its relevance, speed, and comprehensive index.
• Bing: Microsoft s search engine. A solid alternative to Google, often with different results.
• DuckDuckGo: A privacy-focused search engine that doesn t track your searches or personalize results.
• Yahoo! Search: Still exists, though it s powered by Bing.
• Brave Search: An independent search engine built with its own index, focusing on privacy.
• Yandex: A popular search engine, especially in Russia.
• Ecosia: A search engine that uses its profits to plant trees.

Pricing:

• Past Pricing: Access to the AltaVista search engine was always free for users. Advertisers paid for ad placement.
• Current Pricing: N/A. There s nothing to pay for. Using the Yahoo! search page that the old AltaVista URL redirects to is free.

Customer Care Details:

• Past Customer Care: When AltaVista was active, customer support was limited. It primarily consisted of:
  • Help Pages/FAQs: Basic documentation on how to use the search engine.
  • Limited Email Support: Probably available for advertisers or business partners.
• Current Customer Care: There is no customer care for AltaVista. Since the service no longer exists, there s no one to contact. If you have questions about Yahoo! search, you would need to consult Yahoo! s help resources.
• Warning: Be wary of any websites claiming to offer AltaVista support or AltaVista downloads. These are likely scams or attempts to install malware.

In summary: AltaVista was a pioneer in web search but ultimately lost out to competitors. It s no longer operational, so there s no revenue, pricing, or customer care to discuss in a current context. The best alternatives are the modern search engines like Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo.