I just received an email from Fast about their PartnerSite program. It is in Beta form right now and is free while it is in Beta. It is similar to the Inktomi paid inclusion program but there is a few differences. You can pay a monthly fee ($199 or $299) for them to index 250 or 500 pages from your site. It appears they will spider your site and find the pages as well. They also have a per URL option ($30 for the first, 2-30 are $15 and 31-100 are $12). Just out of curiosity I started to sign up and decided to read the "terms and conditions". There was something in there that worried me a bit. They state "(4) "FAST Code" means the software code detailed in the Registration Pages and which you must incorporate in Your web site in order for You to use the Partner Site Services;" and
"(c) FAST Code for Search Bar
You shall incorporate the FAST Code in your web site without alteration of the FAST Code or the search bar that it produces, and You may not: (i) permit other individuals to use the FAST Code, (ii) modify, translate, reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble (except to the extent applicable laws specifically prohibit such restriction), or create derivative works based on the FAST Code, (iii) copy the FAST Code (except as specified herein), (iv) export, directly or indirectly, the FAST Code to any person or entity outside the United States in violation of applicable U.S. export laws, (v) sell, rent, lease, or otherwise transfer rights to the FAST Code, irrespective of whether or not the FAST Code is integrated with and into Your products, technology or intellectual property, or (vi) remove any proprietary notices or labels on the FAST Code.".
It appears they want you to put their search bar on your web site in order to use this service. Does this concern anyone else? I can't see very many people wanting to do this. I am not sure if it is an internal site search they make for your site or just a link to their main search but either way it doesn't seem like a good idea.
Here is the link for this:
Fast PartnerSite [partnersite.fastsearch.com]
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
