11. A system for searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the system comprising: a processor; means for providing a semantics-based search index by storing in the semantics-bases search index search keywords from documents according to semantics from selected document structure templates, the document structure templates selected in dependence upon the structures of the documents and upon model document structures in the document structure templates; means for establishing a search scope corresponding to semantics supported by the semantics-based search index; means for receiving from a client a search query message comprising search terms and, optionally, the search scope; means for retrieving, from the semantics-based search index, index entries satisfying the search terms and the search scope; means for creating from the retrieved index entries a search result message; and means for transmitting the search result message to the client.
11. A system for searching for information in a distributed data processing system, the system comprising: a processor; means for providing a semantics-based search index by storing in the semantics-bases search index search keywords from documents according to semantics from selected document structure templates, the document structure templates selected in dependence upon the structures of the documents and upon model document structures in the document structure templates; means for establishing a search scope corresponding to semantics supported by the semantics-based search index; means for receiving from a client a search query message comprising search terms and, optionally, the search scope; means for retrieving, from the semantics-based search index, index entries satisfying the search terms and the search scope; means for creating from the retrieved index entries a search result message; and means for transmitting the search result message to the client. 12. The system of claim 11 wherein means for establishing a search scope comprises means for setting a search scope in the client, and the search query message further comprises the search scope.