[FSFE PR][EN] Web Search By The People, For The People: YaCy 1.0

[Martin Husovec]

= Web Search By The People, For The People: YaCy 1.0 =

The YaCy project is releasing version 1.0 of its peer-to-peer Free
Software search engine. The software takes a radically new approach to
search. YaCy does not use a central server. Instead, its search results
come from a network of currently over 600 independent peers. In such a
distributed network, no single entity decides what gets listed, or in
which order results appear.

The YaCy search engine runs on each user's own computer. Search terms
are encrypted before they leave the user and the user's computer.
Different from conventional search engines, YaCy is designed to protect
users' privacy. A user's computer creates its individual search indexes
and rankings, so that results better match what the user is looking for
over time. YaCy also makes it easy to create a customised search portal
with a few clicks.

"Most of what we do on the Internet involves search. It's the vital link
between us and the information we're looking for. For such an essential
function, we cannot rely on a few large companies, and compromise our
privacy in the process," says Michael Christen, YaCy's project leader.
"YaCy's free search is the vital link between free users and free
information. YaCy hands control over search back to us, the users." 

Each YaCy user is part of a large search network. YaCy is already in use
on websites such as sciencenet.kit.edu, yacy.geocaching-portal.com, or
fsfe.org, to provide a site-wide search function that respect users'
privacy. It contains a peer-to-peer network protocol to exchange search
indexes with other YaCy search engines. 

"We are moving away from the idea that services need to be centrally
controlled. Instead, we are realising how important it is to be
independent, and to create infrastructure that doesn't have a single
point of failure," says Karsten Gerloff, President of the Free Software
Foundation Europe. "In the future world of distributed, peer-to-peer
systems, Free Software search engines like YaCy are a vital building
block."

Everyone can try out the search engine at http://search.yacy.net. Users
can become part of YaCy's network by installing the software on their
own computers. YaCy is Free Software, so anyone can use, study, share
and improve it. It is currently available for GNU/Linux, Windows and
MacOS. The project is also looking for developers and other
contributors.


= Links:  =
  
  YaCy homepage: http://yacy.net
  
  YaCy search portal: http://search.yacy.net/
  
  How to contribute: http://yacy.net/en/Join.html
  
  Free Software Foundation Europe: http://fsfe.org


= Contacts = 

 Michael Christen
 YaCy Project Leader
 Tel. +49 177 6424235
 Email: mc at yacy.net
 
 Karsten Gerloff
 President, Free Software Foundation Europe
 Tel. +49 176 9690 4298
 Email: gerloff at fsfeurope.org


== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
  
  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
  securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
  Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
  of the FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org/
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