The above screen capture taken on December 13, 2001 is the new "official" site where LookSmart pays TopText for the clicks they have pirated from legitimate web sites. It is no surprise that TopText is involved as they are willing to hijack traffic and money from any victim they can find.

It is sad to see the level to which LookSmart has sunk in their desperate attempts to find money to save their failed business model.

It is likely that we will be seeing the last of LookSmart in the very near future. If you are a webmaster, don't bother spending money to get listed in a doomed search engine - LookSmart.

If you are a web user, please do not make use of LookSmart. That would just give them more time to perfect their ScumWare techniques.

LookSmart Sinks To Sad Level

The following is from a press release by eZula in which they brag about suckering LookSmart into participating in the eZula ScumWare TopText system of stealing traffic from legitimate sites and selling it to anyone they can con into paying for it.

Usually the companies willing to traffic in Scum traffic are very marginal. This time it is LookSmart. I didn't know they were so desperate for money.

Once this stolen traffic starts being sold to LookSmart who in turn will sell it to their unsuspecting clients, it is going to make LookSmart an UnSmart place to spend your promotion dollars.

Here is part of the wordy and Scummy eZula press release.

TopText iLookup 2.0 Features:

Personal Keywords - TopText iLookup enables users, for the first time, to weave the Web the way they want, by associating and connecting keywords to their favorite sites, from anywhere on the Web. TopText iLookup 2.0 will create a link from each such keyword, whenever it appears in the users' browser, to a specific destination provided by the user, or to one of the user's Favorites bookmarks.

One-Click Internet Lookup - Users can perform an instant search of any word or phrase seen on the Internet simply by placing their mouse over a word, pressing the 'Alt' key and simultaneously clicking the mouse button. Internet search and directory results are instantly displayed.

"We are pleased to be working with eZula to let millions of Internet users find what they want, whenever and wherever they need it," said Cinthya Goliopoulos, Director of Business Development at LookSmart. "By becoming a part of eZula's innovative online reference tool, our directories of destinations and information will be available to millions of additional users. Together, eZula and LookSmart are simplifying the Internet searching and lookup process, and increasing the Internet's value to the user."

Real Time Internet Cross-Reference Links (also available in TopText iLookup 1.0) - TopText iLookup users can choose to instantly get information about various topics and be linked to online destinations that are most relevant to them, including to Active Encyclopedia , Active Dictionary, and relevant commercial offers. Active Encyclopedia and Active Dictionary present links from complex terms and phrases to reference sources such as Merriam Webster's Dictionary and Computer Language Company.

"We are happy to be a part of eZula's efforts to expand the Internet's power to educate online users," said Irma Morrison, vice president of the Computer Language Company, publisher of Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. "With our more than 17,000 computer definitions, illustrations, photos, charts and diagrams added to eZula's innovative online reference tool, users can benefit from a greater understanding of technology to leverage the Internet more effectively. Together, eZula and Computer Desktop Encyclopedia are making the Internet more accessible to the consumer."

Internet Lookup Button - TopText iLookup enables users to enjoy targeted searches from LookSmart, directory lookup, and shopping assistance for any text, phrase, or concept seen on the Internet. Users can now highlight text on any page, and then use the iLookup button to perform the type of lookup they need, be it dictionary, Encyclopedia, Internet search and Directory, or shopping lookup.

There is always hope that LookSmart will wake up and realize what a tragic decision they have made, fire the bum that slipped this in and get back to do ethical business so we can once again trust them with our money.