1. A distributed information network constructed for gathering information from sites distributed across a globally accessible computer network, comprising: a root server that stores a list of multiple distributed sites each of which represented by metadata corresponding to directly or indirectly available information content; multiple distributed sites each of which implemented with an information provider that is remotely located from the root server, the information provider of each of the distributed sites storing metadata corresponding to the information content that is available at a server of or a server associated with the information provider, the information content being retrievable in response to a profiled information search request from the root server for search results of a search performed on the information content; a profiled information communication link between the root server and each of the multiple distributed sites, the profiled information communication link enabling formation of a path for delivery of the search results of the information content to which the metadata correspond to a destination site from a site or sites represented by the metadata of the profiled information search request; and an operating system client that delivers to the root server an information search request by a user, the root server assembling a list identifying a selected one or more of the servers qualified to be searched for information content, and receives without passing through the profiled information communication link the search results retrieved from the selected one or more servers identified in the list in response to the profiled information search request.