I don't know about you, but I spend a lot of my time on the Internet searching for information.

For me, that almost always involves Google, which is fast, comprehensive, and almost always delivers the goods.

Of course, there's also Yahoo, Ask, AOL, MSN — even Dogpile, if you want to search through multiple databases with a single click.

So what's new under the search sun?

Something pronounced "cool" but spelled Cuil — an ancient Irish word that means "knowledge."

Cuil.com was founded by search engine experts, including two exiles from Google, and it opened for business this week.

Cuil claims to have already indexed 121 billion pages; they also claim to search through three times as many pages as Google.

I conducted a simple test: a search for "wfaa." Cuil found 839,810 results (slightly less than Google's 878,000).

The first thing I noticed is the layout of the results, which are displayed in columns. Cuil says this newspaper-style presentation makes it easier to visually scan for information. You can choose between a two- or three-column display.

Many results pages feature an "explore by category" box that can help you zero in on the data you're seeking with a filtered subset of results. The search for "wfaa" includes categories for "Belo Corporation" (our parent company) and "ABC Network Affiliates."

While Cuil's display is attractive, it isn't always accurate.

There's a photo of what appears to be local radio personality (and the host of a Channel 8 talk show) Gordon Keith next to the "WFAA News Team" entry.

And there's a photo of a man I've never seen before next to the entry for Channel 8 news anchor Macie Jepson.

Still, the initial pages of Cuil's WFAA index do appear to be focused on the television station. On the other hand, a search for "wfaa" on Google pulls up the "Wisconsin Field Archery Association" and the "Washington Financial Aid Association" on its first page, in addition to Channel 8 links.

Cuil is clearly still a work in progress, not nearly as user-friendly as Google.

For intstance, I typed "George W. Bush" in the Cuil search box. I was stunned when I got this response:

"We didn't find any results for 'George W. Bush'"

I tried several times and rechecked my spelling — same result.

"Your search includes a term that is very rare," Cuil informed me. "Try to find a more common substitute."

After some trial and error, I determined that the period after the "W" apparently threw Cuil for a loop. When I retyped the president's name as "George W Bush" (no punctation), I got 2,609,338 results!

A search engine designed for a general audience surely should be more forgiving of user input, especially when no usage instructions are evident.

I'll be keeping an eye on Cuil; it's bound to get better, and — at least for now — there is no advertising.

• LINK: Cuil.com

We've added something new and very interactive this week at WFAA.com. You can see it above the headline of this and every other story on the Web site: The ability to instantly comment on and recommend content.

Check the most recommended and most commented stories.

Comments really add a fresh dimension to any report, with users like you offering opinions and personal insights.

Try it now by scrolling to the bottom of this story. The first time, you'll be asked to select a user name and create a profile, including a personalized icon. There are 18 pre-built icons if you don't have something handy.

It couldn't be easier to recommend a story to other users: just click the word "recommend" above a headline.

Every story also has a box where you can view the "most recommended" and "most commented" stories at a glance. As I write this, a story about the shutdown of the Bennigan's restaurant chain is number-one in both categories.

Our user generated content is also self-policing. If you see a comment that you feel is vulgar, hateful, or perhaps just unwanted "spam," you can instantly flag that comment for us to review.

We've already seen a lot of insightful reactions from WFAA.com users. It is a great new way to be an active member of our growing online community.

Watch Computer Corner every week on News 8 Midday at noon Wednesdays, or online any time.

E-mail askwalt@wfaa.com