This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
NOT Searches
Here's the example you'll come across again and again to illustrate when to use a NOT search: You're looking for information on snakes and key in a search for python. Much to your dismay, your search results are full of Web pages aimed at devoted Monty Python fans ( Figure 3.7 ). What to do?
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Figure 3.7 A NOT search like python -monty or python NOT monty can help you avoid some of the sites that might otherwise be listed and find snakes instead.
The answer, of course, is to exclude Monty Python pages with a NOT search. Usually that means putting a minus sign in front of the word you want to avoid: python -monty. (Notice that there's no space between the minus sign and the word that's being excluded.)
Some search engines allow (or require) the use of the word NOT (or AND NOT) to exclude a word: python NOT monty or python AND NOT monty.
Tip
- NOT can be a very powerful operator. But when you use it, you can unwittingly throw out the baby with the bath water. Suppose the definitive Web site on pythons—"The Master Python Page"—happens to have been created by someone named Monty Shields. The NOT search in our example could prevent you from ever finding it. Learn to use NOT searches, but be aware of the potential for inadvertently excluding good material.