Boolean Searching for the Web

Boolean searching is named after George Boole, a British mathematician (1815-1864), who wrote about logical ways to formulate precise queries using true-false connectors or "operators" between concepts. The true-false nature of Boolean logic, as this system is commonly called, makes it compatible with binary logic used in digital computers. It has become the conventional basis for searching most computerized systems. The primary operators are and, or, and and not. near is a modification of AND. You join words or concepts with these operators. Parentheses are used to organize the sequence and groups of concepts.

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