hybrid

Hybrid means a combination of two or more things.

Online it can refer to "hybrid search sites," which are a cross between a search directory and a search engine (actually, they use a human directory that's supplemented by computer indexes and algorithms). Hybrid search sites cover both Internet and OSP content and usually offer other services such as maps, mail and shopping services.

A "hybrid cloud" refers to the notion of having a "cloud of your own" in which Google's app engine, for example, lets you build, deploy, and run Web applications on Google's infrastructure. Amazon also offers hybrid cloud services called AWS.

In the world of online marketing, a "hybrid model" refers to a combination of two or more payment models, such as a mix of impression-based (CPM) and performance-based (cost-per-action or cost-per-click), or a mix of two performance-based models.

A "hybrid company" refers to a new business model formed by venture capital investors that seeks to combine attributes of the best VCs and incubators, implying a narrow and expert focus within a structure that leverages synergies within the domain of expertise among the portfolio of companies.

Historical perspective: Some of the best hybrid search sites included Hotbot and InfoSpace, here's a look back...

HotBot - An early favorite, a hybrid search engine developed by HotWired and Inktomi in May 1996, and once acquired by Lycos, it exploited NOW (Network Of Workstations) parallel computing technology to achieve scalable, supercomputer-class performance from clusters of reliable, commodity workstations and high-speed local area networks (LANs). Nobody cared if it sounded confusing, the best part was the flashy interface.

InfoSpace - A classic web service founded in March 1996 by Naveen Jain, it pioneered the original vision of delivering real-world information and services anytime, anywhere, and on any device. It used to be an online service that enabled you to locate listings of people, businesses, toll-free numbers, e-mails, addresses, maps, etc., it morphed into an Internet infrastructure service company, and ultimately became just another advertising network.