Gulf of Maine Environmental Information Exchange -
Silly-Word Phase II – April 1999

Purpose: To investigate methods to enhance the use of existing Web Search engines to locate Gulf of Maine Environmental Information.

Description: Web masters place the word “GOMINFOEX” on their Gulf of Maine web site. This is a unique word that is not presently found on any existing web sites. Users are advised to use their favourite search engine to look for this word when searching for relevant environmental information for the Gulf of Maine. The use of the word “GOMINFOEX” in a search returns only those sites that are participating in the Gulf of Maine Environmental Information Exchange.

The word can be added as a meta-tag or hidden in the body of the HTML. It has been referred to as a “silly-word” to make it less intimidating to a non-technical audience (members of community groups, fishers, general public, school children, etc.) that is the primary client for this function.

Potential Benefits (to be tested):

1. Allows easier and simpler searching for environmental information for the Gulf of Maine;
2. The search results provide only one hit per site – not every page;
3. For advanced searches, including the silly-word in search string may help usefully restrict results;
4. Webmasters can select a specific web page on their web site to highlight. That is, it can be put on the home page, site map, specific GoM data listings, or other appropriate page to bring users quickly to the most appropriate page on the web site;
5. Webmasters have full control over their participation;
6. Web sites with information for larger or smaller geographic areas, such as the federal agencies or community groups focusing on particular bays or estuaries, that don’t presently identify themselves with the specific phrase “Gulf of Maine” can participate with their most appropriate web page;
7. Does not require centralised dedicated resources to maintain as do existing lists of web sites; and,
8. Allows monitoring of the number of participating Web Sites that is essential for tracking interest in a Gulf-wide environmental information exchange

Additional Developments/Refinements - for consideration by webmasters:

1. It is recommended that webmasters submit their URL’s to search engines to reduce the time required for their site to be found. Work with the silly-word has shown that without submitting your URL, many search engines will not include your site in their search and that, even with submitting a URL, it may take weeks to months for your information to be found.
2. Webmasters may want to highlight relevant web sites by constructing their own list of web sites onto a single web page and then adding the silly-word to the page. In this way participants can independently develop lists relevant to specific client groups (fishers, scientists, educators, etc.). This could be done in an effort to develop a list of “approved” or “high quality” sites for the Gulf of Maine.
3. Webmasters are asked to place a single line at the bottom of the page stating: “This site is a participant in the Gulf of Maine Information Exchange Initiate” and to add a link to the GoM Information Exchange web page that is presently being developed. This is not required but would be useful in providing additional information to those that are interested in contributing.

For additional information, questions and comments: Paul Boudreau - boudreaup@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Participating Web Sites in the Gulf of Maine Information Exchange can be found by using your favourite search engine to search for word GOMINFOEX - Initiate a Search