PhillyFinder, to an end-user, is an easy to use web directory portal with integrated search functionality. To an editor, or web site builder, it is a framework to rapidly build and maintain a portal web site with extensive search capability and room to grow. All of this is acomplished with in the familiar setting of the browser.
It combines a web site indexing and search engine product with a directory product. The integration of a multiple web site search engine within a directory/portal system adds some unique functionality that the two stand alone products don't have.
In our case, being limited to searching only web sites related to Philadelphia which have been approved by editors makes it the ideal search engine to use to find Philadelphia related information. Also because the web sites it spiders and makes searchable are the ones that are listed in the portal's directory, unwanted sites such as those containing porn, or of questionable authenticity are kept out of search results.
The software is easily customizable to meet the needs of any site that needs integrated portal directory and search engine capabilities. Using the intuitive interface, site editors can create and manage their portal site with ease.
PhillyFinder can be found at
http://www.philly.com/