JavaScript tools for online information retrieval

Abstract

Abstract. JavaScript has a comparatively long history as an online information retrieval tool. During the last decade SilverPlatter's popular WebSPIRS 4.0 started using JavaScript for its search functions. International Children's Digital Library is a current system that applies JavaScript for category based information retrieval. However, JavaScript capabilities for quick browsing and searching small collections is under utilized in light of advanced server-side technologies. Focussing on search engines using data arrays in scripts, this paper tries to justify one possible reason behind this -high response time for the starting search. To cope up with the situation, the paper introduces a model for interface design. Also it reveals that the script search is superior to server side techniques in terms to response time, when the user's session is several searches long.