About the Colossus search engine directory ...

... and its limits

I’ve been seeing mentions of the Colossus search engines directory searchenginecolossus.com since 1999. Along the years, I sometimes had a go at it and tested some of the search tools (web site directories mainly) it recommends.

Its main and only interest is it lists a number of regional web-site-directories.

Its limits

But apart from that, I do not recommend using Colossus.

Its very ancient HTML code (written in CAPITAL letters) should be enough to keep you away from it [1]. Why ? Because it’s a sign of a probable lack of updating.

Other, more serious reasons for not using and not trusting it much include :

• it links to other old, not updated directories instead of to final resources. Example : this directory’s page it links to is empty : findelio.com/2888/Automotive/
• it lures you into believing it indexes a ton of treasure troves but it’s deceptive
• spelling mistakes
• same search engine directories repeted in each country section. Example : Ezilon ezilon.com
• its local countries web-site-directories are :
  • incomplete. For instance, its France section searchenginecolossus.com/France.html does not list premsgo.fr / annuairefrancais.fr, a not too recent but very active actor
  • and they list mainly regional-level, not specifically national, link directories.

To conclude on Colossus :

• granted, beggars can’t be choosers and there really isn’t a lot of competition in its field (local oriented link directories)
• but in my opinion, it’s too old/not updated enough, repetitive, deceptive and incomplete. Event the concept of directory itself is outdated — though I appreciate it much personnaly and have long advocated it and taught a course on how to build a link directory [2].

Alternatives

If you’re searching for local resources, it might be among other starting points, but really, it shouldn’t be alone and its links should be tested thoroughly. Personnaly, I’d rather use a standard, reliable, web search engine to locate the main resources and perhaps, in a separate query, some specialised, local link directories and start from there.

What’s your own point of view ? Do you think it’s still worthwhile ? The comment section is open.

Emmanuel Barthe
librarian researcher, Internet search tools evangelist