W e b w a t c h [ABOUT WEBWATCH]

press release

Internet in Belgium

Webwatch opens all of Belgium to the online world

Brussels, Belgium - November 10, 1996 -- For immediate release
Digital Age Design is pleased to announce the opening of Webwatch, the first web site to offer a complete search of the Belgian Internet. This powerful "search robot" has visited and indexed every site on the Internet concerning Belgium. It allows any Internet user world-wide to find information about any subject quickly and easily. Because it is specific to Belgium, this site will provide research responses that are much more accurate and useful than those found on international search tools that categorize the entire World Wide Web.
The Webwatch search engine was created to respond to the need for an in-depth classification of Belgian Internet sites. In the past, Belgian "search sites" consisted of a simple database that depended on site administrators and web surfers to add new sites as they were discovered. International search "robots" had indexed so many sites around the world, that searching for purely Belgian sites was an impossible task. By using robot technology for a smaller field of Internet sites, the Webwatch engine allows specific information from Belgium to be found almost instantly.
A "search robot" is a computer that continually searches and updates information about sites located on the Internet all by itself. By indexing critical information such as the title, address, and keywords of a site, the robot creates a fully searchable database. Because it is constantly looking at sites 24 hours a day, new sites and changes to existing sites are constantly updated.
Search tools are the most effective ways of finding useful information on the Internet. Because there are over 50 million web pages world-wide, and approximately 90 thousand in Belgium alone, an accurate and reliable means of classifying and finding relevant information is extremely important. By submitting a variety of keywords into the search tool, the computer can sort through all of the sites it has indexed to find pages that contain the given words.
The Webwatch search engine is the first search tool in Belgium that has searched and indexed all of the thousands of Belgian sites. The Webwatch site began one year ago as a manually updated index of selected belgian sites, and was expanded to a crawler after six months. While in its "beta", or test phase, the site had already become one of the most popular in Belgium, receiving over 500 visitors a day. The site still features a "best of Belgium" list featuring interesting sites grouped by subject, featured sites of the week, and other exciting features.
Webwatch was designed and created by Digital Age Design. Directed by the Belgian Internet guru Benoit Lips, DAD offers complete solutions for an Internet presence. Much more than simple web site design, DAD takes a global approach to helping clients use Internet technology for a variety of communications needs. Their clients include Toyota Europe, Sony Music, Thalys, and other Belgian and European businesses. From web site design and development to hosting, database management, Intranet development and other on-line services, DAD is leading the cutting edge of Internet development in Belgium.

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