rcjordan - 2:18 pm on Nov 2, 2000 (gmt 0)

>I can't imagine INK's partners being very happy with a database that contains only Fortune 500 companies.

This is the only thing I really consider to be the salvation of the 'free submit.' How many engines have we seen install some sort of pay-for-play (Brett's catch-all term) scheme? Plenty. There's no arguing that this is the way it's going to go for awhile. But note that we're only discussing the costs of INK here, to be a player in multiple search engines and ppc directories, it now costs a fortune. You are right, Steve, not many -except the Fortune 500- can afford to cover all their bets as it now stands. The end result will be a distillation of the SE databases to a very few resources. The web will split into the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' and the have-nots may be forced to return to the old mosaic days of reciprocal links and usenet-like postings.