Collecta sifts through the Web for information and tracks results from news stories, blog posts, micro-blogging updates and social-status messages. It provides real-time streams of results at Collecta.com, using its Extensible Messaging and Performance Protocol (XMPP) platform. Unlike other instant-messaging protocols, XMPP is an open standard.

The service relies heavily on information flowing from high-velocity sources such as Twitter.com, a micro-blogging site, and WordPress.com, a blogging service.

Search Alternative

The new service will have to compete with the likes of Google, Yahoo, Bing and other Web sites that offer search, but Campbell said Collecta offers something different from its competitors.

"What Collecta is doing that is different is instead of gathering, indexing and analysis and ranking, what it is all about is taking something from one point (the publishers) and sending it to the other (our users' browsers)," Campbell said. "You could watch messages, posts and pictures flow through."

Once users receive the results, they can also manage the collections of searches on stories and conversations they care most about, including their company, a car they may be considering, or a favorite actor. It also displays which search queries are considered popular at the time of search.

Just hours after launching the service, Campbell said the team has been busy. "We are getting hammered; it is fantastic, exciting and nerve-wracking," Campbell said.

Real-Time Glitches

Part of offering real-time information is also receiving real-time feedback.

Entering the search query "Gerry Campbell" to test the Collecta service showed no real-time results. Instead, the service provided a message: "We haven't found a mention of your term yet." It provided an alternative: "You could: Start a new search while this one is running (we'll notify you when something comes in here)."

For those not willing to wait, however, Collecta offers another option: "You can always check to see what Google has for your term."

"We know many of you are not getting real-time results right now, and we are working as fast as we can to get things working smoothly again," the team posted on the Collecta.com Web site. "Please continue to provide your feedback so we can continue to squash these bugs and make Collecta better."

Campbell said the time leading up to the launch has not been easy. "We have a lot of things coming from different directions," he said. "It is a daunting project for a six-month-old company."