Many people want to keep their options open. They feel restricted when they don’t have enough choice. But there is a dark side to choice. Malcom Gladwell, in his book Blink, illustrates that the more options people are presented with, the less li…

You’ve got a great point with the challenge you face at AltSearchEngines.com. The way I see it, the premise of your blog is to encourage people to consider 24 jams rather than 3. The work that you do serves to build up excitement about and interest in the search options people have.

That being said, a large search engine has a big advantage in that they are only sending out one message: ‘Use us. Use us. Use us.’ You, on the other hand, are looking at raising awareness of 1000 search engines (not even just the Top 100), and it’s a mammoth ask.

Readers, I highly recommend Charles’ blog; make sure to check it out if you can.

Excellent posts! This issue of choice is just what I applied to search engines at AltSearchEngines.com where we publish the Top 100 Alternative Search Engines list. It’s just like the jam! When people have 100 search engines to chose from, what’s the result? About 2% market share - combined!!

And when people only have five choices, (Google, Yahoo!, MSN, AOL, Ask)? 98%!

What’s the solution for the 100? The missing interface! That’s what we are working out on AltSearchEngines; and the new paradigm will -rock and shock- the Search space. And you can quote me on that!

Charles Knight, editor
AltSearchEngines.com