Rollyo: Roll your own search engine
Rollyo is still in beta but has now been released to the general public. The idea behind it is that you can select a number of sites that you can search at once. This way, you can create customized topical searches that are of interest to you. Fellow 9ruler, Erik of Kartooner, has set up a searchroll to search all the 9rules sites that cover web development.
One of the things that I've really found interesting is how they've signed up well-known celebrities like Rosario Dawson and Debra Messing.
Some quibbles for me include the fact that there doesn't seem to be a default search page for a specific searchroll. When you're on the site, every link to a searchroll opens up in a sqaure block in the top left. I also feel like the focus on the High Rollers makes my own seachroll feel less important. But on the flip side, if I was in their shoes, I'd have probably done the same thing.
I'd also agree with BrainFuel... they've got a really nice logo. With the exception that it makes me hungry for a cinnamon roll. ;)
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I also was turned off by the square block search box that pops up when you click on someone's searchroll.
Anyway, it looks like you can go directly to a specific searchroll as long as you know its unique ID. For example, if I wanted to search Debra Messing's "Style Shops" for the term "shirt":
http://www.rollyo.com/search.html?prevsid=206&q=shirt&sid=206&x=0&y=0
Eh?
Rollyo makes me search for what I want to searching for (in specific)...
I created several *rollers* in beta test period...
Intresting idea.. I was thinking about creating my own custom browser homepage with this type of functionality. Isn't this something any developer can create?
Okay, you got me hooked. I haven't done the custom thing yet - just chose some that looked interesting. It's dead easy. thanks.