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Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

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Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#71

Post by jplona »

jamal-kumar wrote: post #65
sneak wrote: post #14

You have to use a special "verbatim" search product from Google, it isn't the main search box anymore. Look under Advanced or something.

Why would they make their very expected functionality something you have to dig around to find now? That just seems like really bad decision making that should have been spotted by someone on top and screams that the people on top are now disconnected from reality. I swear that it used to work for certain strings I'm trying to find now which I was able to find information on and now it isn't even returning, with "ver…

It's also possible they they're correct, and the average user of today has much less need for verbatim searches than the average user when the search engine was first designed.

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#72

Post by IG_Semmelweiss »

Quotes don't work but

>>>>Search for a domain name with quotation marks for example just recombines the contents of the domain and returns a bunch of unrelated content

I believe if you search for site:domaingoeshere.com yourqueryhere

That will spit out results only from that domain. I think that still works ?

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#73

Post by jamal-kumar »

TradingPlaces wrote: post #18

Kagi. Never have I been so happy to send someone $10 every month. When you become the customer, not the product, it’s amazing what can happen.

You sold me.

Fuck google, I have work to do. Thanks for the tip! Nice realizing that they've basically been wasting my time for a while now and that there's a decent alternative available.

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#74

Post by croisillon »

bambax wrote: post #56

> I used this quite frequently but since Google """"improved"""" it last year (there was a popular HN post complaining about this) it doesn't work anymore That's not my experience? The quotes still seem to work for me? Do you have a specific example? And / or can you point to said HN post?

works for me too, maybe being in europe does the trick?

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#76

Post by IAmGraydon »

MichaelZuo wrote: post #52
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What happens if GOOG acquires Kagi?

I'm sure many folks, including me, would be willing to help Vlad organize a private acquisition if he suddenly had some pressing need to sell.

Don’t you work for Google or is that a different Michael Zuo?

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#77

Post by [deleted] »

jplona wrote: post #71
jamal-kumar wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they make their very expected functionality something you have to dig around to find now? That just seems like really bad decision making that should have been spotted by someone on top and screams that the people on top are now disconnected from reality. I swear that it used to work for certain strings I'm trying to find now which I was able to find information on and now it isn't even returning, with "ver…

It's also possible they they're correct, and the average user of today has much less need for verbatim searches than the average user when the search engine was first designed.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#78

Post by Filligree »

jplona wrote: post #71
jamal-kumar wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they make their very expected functionality something you have to dig around to find now? That just seems like really bad decision making that should have been spotted by someone on top and screams that the people on top are now disconnected from reality. I swear that it used to work for certain strings I'm trying to find now which I was able to find information on and now it isn't even returning, with "ver…

It's also possible they they're correct, and the average user of today has much less need for verbatim searches than the average user when the search engine was first designed.

This is definitely the case. Sit down next to a casual user one day, and you'll find that 'verbatim' is the absolute last thing they need.

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#79

Post by hospadar »

TradingPlaces wrote: post #18

Kagi. Never have I been so happy to send someone $10 every month. When you become the customer, not the product, it’s amazing what can happen.

Can’t second this emotion hard enough, love it, have never looked back, almost never bail out to !g - still use g maps for most location stuff, but all my web search is very comfortably living on kagi

Re: Ask HN: How to do literal web searches after Google destroyed the “ ” feature?

#80

Post by jamal-kumar »

jplona wrote: post #71
jamal-kumar wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would they make their very expected functionality something you have to dig around to find now? That just seems like really bad decision making that should have been spotted by someone on top and screams that the people on top are now disconnected from reality. I swear that it used to work for certain strings I'm trying to find now which I was able to find information on and now it isn't even returning, with "ver…

It's also possible they they're correct, and the average user of today has much less need for verbatim searches than the average user when the search engine was first designed.

Nah their product is broken and I'm going to avoid using it from now on except when I need to find something on a map or mess around on SEO for work

If they break a key feature to MAKE a verbatim search happen with literally two keys pressed, and are apparently not even indexing what they used to anymore, they're dropping the ball. Most people know the quotation trick now and are probably assuming it still works

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