As I'm sure you've heard, the Web is not only good for accomplishing tasks and getting things done efficiently, but also for filling up that "downtime." I'll admit, I have a weakness for celebrity gossip...better to dish the dirt about people you don't know than people you do, I always say.

Just the other night, I was wondering what was happening with the luminaries in Tinseltown, so I decided to see what NetFind Reviews had to offer. With ratings and brief, dead-on appraisals of all sorts of different Web sites, AOL NetFind Reviews can help you surf with more of a purpose.

First, I clicked on the Life & Style link on the main NetFind page, and found a subcategory entitled Celebrities & Personalities. When I clicked on that, I got yet another list of subcategories, one of which was News, Gossip and (ahem) Sleaze. When I clicked on that, I got a list of reviews of all sorts of chatty Web sites about those feckless famous types.

Plus, if you ever want to retrace your steps, it's a cinch to do. NetFind Reviews records your progress at the top of each page, and each category you've visited is "hyperlinked." For example, when I was in the gossip section, I could click on the Celebrities & Personalities link (or the Life & Style link) and instantly jump back to that category.

Go to the NetFind home page to check out NetFind Reviews for yourself!

1. Phrase It: Don't use one word searches. Instead, type in multiple words or a phrase in quotes to increase your chances of finding useful results. See more about advanced NetFind methods.

2. Be Specific: The more descriptive you can get, the better your results. Typing in "Macintosh graphics software" is better than just "Macintosh software."

3. Check our reviews first: Excite's editors have already identified and rated the best Web sites, so why not take advantage of them? Click the "NetFind Reviews" button (under the search box on the main NetFind page). Type in what you're looking for, and NetFind will hunt for matches in its extensive Reviews database.

4. Add it Up: Use AND or the plus sign (+) when you want to find articles that contain all of the words you enter. For example, to find articles on rock and roll music, try typing "rock AND roll AND music," or "rock +roll +music". Important: Put the plus sign directly in front of the word you want added, with no spaces ("painting +Picasso").

5. Cut it Out: Use AND NOT or the minus sign (-) to limit your results to articles with only the words you want. For example, if you want articles about pets, but aren't interested in dogs, try typing in "pets AND NOT dogs," or "pets -dogs." Remember: Put the minus sign directly in front of the word you want left out, with no spaces ("psychiatry -Freud").

6. More Like This: If you're getting more than you bargained for in your results, be sure to click on the More Like This link next to the Web link that most closely matches what you're looking for. This tells us to show you only those sites that are like the one you chose.

7. Refine Your Find: If you really don't like the results you're getting, you've got a second chance. Scroll down to the "Refine Your Results" area at the bottom of the results page, and try tweaking your find a bit. If you've got too many results, get more specific by adding more words. If you've got too few results, make your find more general by removing some words.

Want a more in-depth explanation? Check out more tips.