REAL-TIME, COOPERATIVE, ADAPTIVE AND PERSISTENT SEARCH SYSTEM

Method and apparatus for searching chronologically stored related content objects for at least one requested search definition. The method includes retrieving a search request identifying the related content objects to be searched and the at least one requested search definition to be applied to the related content objects and determining whether any new related content objects have been stored after the searching has begun. If any new related content objects have been stored, one of the new related content objects is selected for searching and, if no new related content objects have been stored, an older stored related content object is selected for searching. The method also includes applying the at least one requested search definition to the content object selected for searching, and identifying which at least one requested search definition is found in the selected content object.