The Internet is a big place, and finding files and information can often be quite tricky. Previous versions of Interarchy made finding files easy with the Software Finder (formerly called Mac Search), which allowed you to find files in the Info-Mac archive. With Mac OS 8.5, Apple introduced Sherlock, which allows you to search many web-based search engines. Interarchy allows you to search Sherlock-compatible Internet Search Sites using any version of the Mac OS from 7.6.1 onwards.
To find files or information on the Internet, use File:Search Internet menu option. Type words to search for. Keep it simple to start with, and narrow it down later if you get too many 'hits', or matches. For example, search for interarchy first - don't search for interarchy-38.sit.bin to start with. Choose the site to search from the popup menu.
Interarchy will allow you to search any servers with Sherlock configuration files in System Folder:Internet Search Sites:, and will also recognize any search files you place in System Folder:Interarchy:Internet Search Sites:.
Info-Mac http://www.info-mac.org/ is the largest Macintosh software archive in the world, so it's a great place to find Mac shareware and freeware. The files will be mapped to your local Info-Mac FTP server as specified in the Internet control panel's file transfer settings. So if the search works, but the download fails, chances are your Internet control panel's settings need to be updated - perhaps the selected mirror site is no longer active. Check the current mirror list at http://www.info-mac.org/mod/draft/mirror/ for another local mirror to try instead.
Other servers will find other information. In particular, VersionTracker
http://www.versiontracker.com/
is a good starting point for finding Mac software and updates. If your favorite site has a Sherlock plug-in, add it to System Folder:Internet Search Sites:, and both Sherlock and Interarchy will allow you to search it.
In addition to its searching functionality, the Search Internet window has a Test button, which will try all the installed Internet Search Sites available to Interarchy. This feature was previously a separate program from Stairways, called Sherlock Tester. It tests all opens installed Internet Search Sites and shows the received responses in the Transcript window.