A system and method for selecting or ordering search results received from members
of a distributing search network in response to a search request. Network nodes
operating as consumer or requesting nodes generate the search requests. Nodes operating
as hubs are configured to route the search requests in the network. Individual
nodes operating as provider nodes receive the search request and in response may
generate results according to their own procedures and return them. Communication
between nodes in the network may use a common query protocol. Hub nodes may resolve
the search requests to a subset of the provider nodes in the network, for example
by matching search requests with registration information from nodes. Search results
may be selected, ordered, and/or consolidated for use by the requesting nodes by
nodes receiving a plurality of the search results.