Fast Data Search - search and real-time filtering technology delivering information from Internet and enterprise data;
Fast Web Search - Web indexing for portals and search engines, ranked sixth fastest growing technology company in 2001;
Fast PartnerSite - An e-commerce and web marketing service, combining a pay-for-inclusion service into the Web index, for resellers;
Alltheweb.com - Public search technology, offering R&D testing to the public.
UPDATE
In January 2003 Overture announced a definite agreement to acquire FAST for $70 million in cash, as well as performance-based cash incentive payments for up to $30 million over three years.
This is somewhat surprising news, given FAST's recent agreement in to carry Espotting PPC listings on its European properties.
The acquisition is subject to standard review and regulatory processes which the compnaies expect to be completed by April 2003.
Combined with Overture's plans to acquire AltaVista - a snip at $140 million - the trio are set to become the most powerful search capability on the net.
However the move would seem to give Overture redundant technologies, as both AltaVista and FAST provide algorithmic search and paid inclusion. Overture has said it will integrate the search technologies over time. Some industry experts regard this as a defensive move,as Microsoft was rumored to be interested in buying FAST or AltaVista.
Sources: http://siliconvalley.internet.com / news / article.php / 1598601
http://www.searchenginewatch.com / sereport / 03 / 01-yahoo.html
http://www.fastsearch.com
http://www.alltheweb.com
FAST INTRODUCES NEW LOOK Alltheweb
March 4, 2003
It seems FAST has done some spring cleaning, stripping away most of its corporate branding from the new look Alltheweb.com. Or could it be that Overture's plans for its new search engine are beginning to take shape?
The new interface draws on the interfaces pioneered by Google, AltaVista, and other major search engines. The tests, the result of user research and browser testing, include the removal of banner ads, and the addition of a new URL investigator tool.
The URL investigator tool is designed to offer webmasters and end users more detailed information about a particular website or a web page by entering its URL into the search box.
Additional features include details include the description of the site, the language it is written in, the size of the document located at the specified URL, the list of subdomains for the site, some statistics about the URL, and the list of topics in which the site is found.
Perhaps most interestingly, it offers a 'Who owns it' feature for all domains through a Whois search - a feature bound to be successful in the long term in the fight against content spammers.
The search can also link through the 'Way back Machine' to see what a site used to look like. This is a method commonly used by companies atempting to prove illegal actions by their competitors, usually in the form of trademark infringement, and meta tag plagiarism so Alltheweb's new features are bound to ruffle some feathers.
All in all, it seems to be a great overhaul, replicating and improving on some Google features, but only time will tell who will win in the end.
OVERTURE ACQUISITION COMPLETE
April 2003
Overture completes the acquisition of FAST.
This article was first published on 02 May 2003 and does not necessarily match current events or the current opinions and views of bigmouthmedia ltd.
