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<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Dear RI Webmakers:</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">As you may know, <a href="http://RI.gov" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">RI.gov</span></a> uses a search product called Search USA made
available by the Federal GSA (<u class=""><a href="http://Search.usa.gov" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">Search.usa.gov</span></a>)</u>. The tool uses Bing, a Microsoft Product, as the core search engine to produce the results.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">The GSA has alerted all users of Search USA that due to licensing changes with Microsoft, the tool will now only be available as a hosted solution. Currently, <a href="http://RI.gov" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">RI.gov</span></a> hosts
the search result pages which gives us full control of the look and feel of result pages.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">We have worked with the GSA to provide them with a style guide to match our current result pages as closely as possible. You can view and see an example
result page here:</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><a href="http://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=ri.gov&query=governor" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">http://search.usa.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=ri.gov&query=governor</span></a></span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">…and compare it to the current result page:</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><a href="http://www.ri.gov/search/?q=Governor&Submit=Go" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">http://www.ri.gov/search/?q=Governor&Submit=Go</span></a></span></p>
<h3 id="x_WebmakersNewSearchAlert-OnoraboutDecember1st,wewillbeswitchingtothesenew,hosted,resultpages." style="font-family: 'Segoe UI';" class="">
<strong class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;" class="">On or about December 1<sup class="">st</sup>, we will be switching to these new, hosted, result pages.</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" class=""></span></h3>
<h1 id="x_WebmakersNewSearchAlert-FAQ" style="font-family: 'Segoe UI';" class="">
FAQ</h1>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. Why are you making this change?</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><br class="">
A. After December 1<sup class="">st</sup> the GSA will no longer offer the current solution.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. Could we just use the Bing Search without hosting by the GSA?</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><br class="">
A. The non-GSA Bing result pages contain advertising which cannot be disable and therefore not suitable for Government sites.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. I use the <a href="http://RI.gov" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">RI.gov</span></a> search to produce results specific
to my site. Will that still work? Will I need to change the code?</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><br class="">
A. Your site-specific results will still work and there is no need to change any code. </span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. Are there other search options available?</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><br class="">
A. <a href="http://RI.gov" class=""><span style="font-family: Times;" class="">RI.gov</span></a> has researched several other alternatives and the only non-advertising searches that meet 508 accessibility standards are prohibitively expensive.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. Are there any advantages to the new search?</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class=""><br class="">
A. Yes. The result pages now include specific result categories for photos and videos. The tool also has a robust admin area to view key metrics of the search pages.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. Do I need to do anything as part of this change?<br class="">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">A. No, the change will be seamless but as the result pages will look different, we felt it important to alert you regarding this change.</span></p>
<p style="font-family: 'Segoe UI'; font-size: 13px;" class=""><strong class=""><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">Q. What if I have additional questions?<br class="">
</span></strong><span style="font-family: Arial;" class="">A. Please send any further questions or concerns to <font color="#4787ff" face="Times" class=""><u class=""></u></font></span><font color="#4787ff" face="Times" class=""><u class=""><a href="mailto:RIDesign@egov.com" class="">RIDesign@egov.com</a></u></font></p>
<div class=""><br class="">
</div>
<div apple-content-edited="true" class="">Thomas Viall<br class="">
General Manager, <a href="http://RI.gov" class="">RI.gov</a><br class="">
<a href="mailto:tomv@egov.com" class="">tomv@egov.com</a><br class="">
<br class="">
(401) 831-8099 ext. 220<br class="">
(401) 831-8095 (Fax)<br class="">
<br class="">
One State Street<br class="">
Suite #401<br class="">
Providence, RI 02908<br class="">
<br class="">
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RI.gov </div>
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