Time Magazine ran a piece on 8/12 covering Google vs. other search engines, but not Copernic. Conlusion was that Google was still best for one-stop focuse results, but that others offer features Google lacks.  It graded Alltheweb.com an A cause it indexes more pages, it tries to hone in better by deciphering the intent of a query by analyzing language patterns and IDing common phrases, it updates pages more frequently, and other stuff; major flaw apparently is distracting pop-up ads atop search results.  It graded Teoma.com a B cause it breaks query results into catagories of themes (I guess "escort" would break into automobile, dating, naval tactic, etc.); major flaw is that you have to scroll down through top-positioned ads to even get to the good stuff.  Finally, it graded Kartoo.com as a C cause it has a unique and pretty interface (showing findings like stars in a universe with size of star representing the likely better quality of results), and is fun and eye candy;  major flaws are that it is a metasearch site (shifts results from other search sites rather than searching itself), is slow, is confusing, and not really for serious searches.  As said at the outset, article said nothing about Copernic, so apparently shows what Time knows!  I'll have to give it a try.