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Hi Linda, Here is a *little* search exercise I found enlightening.... After William Parrette mentioned advance search and the use of logic terms I tried this little test using Alta Vista.... First search on parkinson and note the results (as you did) Second search on parkinson NOT banner and note the very different results. It sure never hurts to *experiment* a tad...... try it, you'll like it! Thanks Bill for reminding us to just think a little 'bout what we're doin' when we search,,, On 12 Apr 2000, at 20:01, Linda J Herman wrote: (in part) > This morning I tried doing a simple Alta Vista search for > "Parkinson's Disease", as a new Internet user might do - and looked at > the first 20 results. > But first, on top of the screen was a banner ad (these are often > customized according to your search topic) stating: "Live Your Life" - - > "Share your victory" -- "Join the PWP Community" Great! I thought - some > good publicity for the Parkinsn List, or maybe some other online PWP > group - so I "clicked here" as instructed, and found myself at the > SmithKline Beecham Requip Web site - promising to "give you details on > the latest developments and treatment options." > > There was only one report - a Requip study under the heading "Welcome > News for Parkinson's Patient : A New 5-year Study Yields Dramatic > Treatment Results" No other meds or treatments were mentioned. I know > companies, including pharmaceutical companies are allowed to advertise, > but they should make it clear from the start, that's what they are doing. > > In their People with Parkinson's Community section, a few PD chat rooms > were listed (not PIEN), and there were a few names and e-mail addresses > of people who had registered - certainly no substitute for a PD community > like PIEN. Later in the day I tried the same search again, and this time > the banner message was - "Living with PD? You Can Have symptom relief - > You Can Have Control - You Can have mobility -- Click here." Just > wondering, if others question these kind of marketing methods too? > > Back to my search results : Among the first 20 Alta Vista results were > some very good PD sites - the Parkinson's Disease Foundation (#2), > Awakenings (#3), Simon Coles' James site (#4); Phil Tompkins PD Index - > which would be one of the best places to start was #19. But also among > the first 20 web sites were companies selling herbs, vitamins, and other > products - all claiming to offer PD information. Also "Dr. Bob's > Psychopharmacology Tips" (#9). All I can say is - Know Your Sources. > As a fitting end to my search, as I reached the bottom of each screen, > Alta Vista asks - "Have you tried these resources?" And advises me again > to Click Here to. . . "Comparison shop for "parkinson's disease." Which > naturally left me wondering if I overpaid for my PD -- the next time I'm > shopping for a chronic disease, I guess I'll try Alta Vista first! :) > > Linda Herman